News

Dubai Airport To Introduce Complete Biometric Admin System

The new technology will make journeys faster and seamless by identifying people based on unique physical and behavioral cues.

Published

2 years ago

September 13, 2023

Nour Nasir

dubai airport to introduce complete biometric admin system

Dubai Airport is working on a unified biometric system for check-ins, immigration, and boarding that will improve speed and efficiency for passengers.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) said that Dubai International Airport would deploy the technology to identify individuals based on unique physical or behavioral characteristics.

This single system will increase the number of passengers that can be handled by airport staff while eliminating the need for immigration counters, officials explained.

“We have been working on this one biometric project for two years. The idea is to make passenger journeys faster, easier, and seamless using one biometric. For example, passengers coming for check-in will use the same biometrics in immigration, lounge, and boarding the aircraft. We call it a smart journey. In the future, we may not see classic counters as we know them today,” said Major General Obaid bin Suroor, deputy director-general of GDRFA.

Meanwhile, Major General Talal Al Shangeti, assistant director-general of the Airport Passport Sector at GDRFA, said that the GDRFA was working with all stakeholders to improve services to make Dubai International Airport one of the best in service.

Also Read: Tourists Can Now Use Their Home E-Wallets In The UAE

Over 42 million passengers used airports and immigration borders, with 37% using smart gates during the January-June period.

“Our target is to reach 80% of people using smart gates and other technologies. We hope to achieve this in a couple of years. We believe Dubai airport will completely deploy biometric technology,” revealed Major General Talal.

Currently, there are 120 operational smart gates at Dubai International Airport, and the aim is to reach 150 by the end of 2023 or early 2024.

News

Saudi EV Adoption Accelerates With BYD Expansion & Tesla Launch

Saudi Arabia’s EV market is gaining momentum as BYD plans major showroom growth and Tesla establishes a foothold in Riyadh.

Published

2 days ago

July 16, 2025

Nour Nasir

saudi ev adoption accelerates with byd expansion and tesla launch

Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a regional hub for electric mobility are drawing greater investment from global automakers. As part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom is targeting 30% electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the capital, Riyadh, by the end of the decade — an objective that’s now shaping the strategic interests of international EV brands.

Chinese manufacturer BYD is planning a substantial thrust into the Saudi market, building on its current footprint of three showrooms. According to Jerome Saigot, BYD’s managing director in the Kingdom, the company aims to open 10 showrooms by the end of 2026.

“Saudi Arabia is a complex market. You need to go fast. You need to think big,” Saigot recently told reporters. “We are not here to stay at 5,000 or 10,000 cars a year”.

The announcement follows Tesla’s entry into the Saudi EV space, with the US automaker opening its first showroom in Riyadh in April. Tesla joins early players like BYD and Geely in what remains a nascent but strategically important segment for the Kingdom.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has also ramped up its electric mobility agenda. Its efforts include major investments in Lucid Motors, the creation of local EV brand Ceer, and support for the rollout of national charging infrastructure.

Also Read: Twitch Launches Arabic Right-To-Left Interface For Web & Mobile

However, electric vehicles still only account for just over 1% of total car sales in Saudi Arabia, according to data from PwC cited by Bloomberg. Key challenges include high upfront costs, limited public charging access, and the added complexity of operating in extreme heat conditions.

In spite of those hurdles, Saigot views Tesla’s entry as a net positive. “The more Tesla communicates on marketing, the better it is for us,” he said. Saigot joined BYD in April, having previously held executive roles at Nissan and Great Wall Motor.

With multiple brands scaling up activity in parallel — and government-backed infrastructure investment underway — Saudi Arabia’s EV sector appears set for rapid acceleration over the next few years.