Field Trip 2025

From the Daily Grind in Graz to 18-Lane Highways, High-Tech Museums, and Cutting-Edge Traffic LabsOur excursion through the United Arab Emirates offered fascinating insights into transportation solutions developed in entirely different innovation spaces. We’d like to share our experiences from the trip by focusing on the modes of transport we used.
Starting by train, we left behind the daily routine in Graz and comfortably reached Vienna Airport, where our flight to Dubai departed. Upon arrival, a car brought us to our hotel — our first impression: heat, vastness, and traffic on a truly massive scale. On the very first day, we immersed ourselves in Dubai’s urban mobility. The fully automated metro whisked us quickly and efficiently through the sprawling metropolis, before we switched to a boat ride on the Creek — a striking change in perspective, cruising between traditional boats and the modern skyline. Day two took us to a neighboring emirate. In Sharjah, we visited the SRTA Traffic Management Center, where real-time data controls the flow of traffic. We then drove through the city ourselves — guided by the intelligent Ride the Green Wave system, which brings the concept of synchronized green lights to life. The next day was all about technology. At the Metaverse AI Lab, we ventured on a virtual walk through the digital mobility spaces of the future. A true highlight followed at space42 in Abu Dhabi: a fully autonomous ride in both a shuttle and a taxi — at times even without a safety officer on board. Pure autonomous mobility, experienced up close! Active mobility wasn’t left out either: despite temperatures over 35°C, we tested the Jumeirah Cycling Track along Dubai’s coast—a sporty demonstration that cycling infrastructure is indeed possible in desert cities, even if the usage levels didn’t quite reach capacity. To round out the experience, we explored the tram in the Marina district: quiet, electric, and seamlessly integrated into Dubai’s otherwise car-centric network.
Our final day began with a glimpse far into the future. At the Museum of the Future, we embarked on a journey through time to the year 2071—including a space travel experience. And to cap things off: a very special kind of contrast—the desert safari, complete with dune rides in off-road vehicles and, for those interested, a gentle camel ride at sunset.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the organization and opportunity to participate in this extraordinary excursion. Special thanks as well to Dr. Mohsin Balwan, who completed his doctorate at ISV in 2019, and to Sonal Ahuja, both of whom made these in-depth insights into the UAE’s mobility landscape possible.