News

Dubai’s Self-Driving, Electric Abra Blends Tech With Tradition

The Emirate is upgrading its waterway transportation fleet by introducing Sea Breeze, a smart, sustainable water taxi.

Published

3 years ago

May 15, 2023

Nour Nasir

dubai's self-driving electric abra blends tech with tradition

Dubai Media Office

Yesterday, a self-driving traditional wooden abra boat named “Sea Breeze” embarked on its first on-the-water trial on Dubai Creek between the Al Jadaf and Festival City stations.

The initiative, led by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), aims to enhance efficiency for residents and tourists while lowering emissions.

dubai electric abra render

“Dubai’s commitment to pioneering advancements in transportation is evident in the launch of the city’s first self-driving electric abra,” noted His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA. “This groundbreaking development aligns with our vision to transform Dubai into a smart city and offers an eco-friendly solution that ensures the sustainability of our transportation infrastructure”.

Featuring state-of-the-art automated navigation systems, the Sea Breeze can effortlessly glide along Dubai’s waterways while retaining the iconic shape of the traditional abra. The self-driving abra has plenty of benefits, including an increased passenger capacity of up to 8 people, reduced operational costs, and environmental impact due to its electric propulsion system.

dubai electric abra technology specs

As for the craft’s AI smarts, the self-driving abra can detect oncoming obstacles, notify the control center of system malfunctions and deviate from preset routes if obstacles are detected, or an emergency is announced.

Also Read: Dubai Launches The World’s Largest Ocean Restoration Project

“The launch of the self-driving electric abra marks a significant milestone in Dubai’s journey towards a sustainable and technologically advanced transportation system,” explained His Excellency Sultan Al Haddad, who is the CEO of the Marine Transport Sector at RTA. “By integrating advanced autonomous technology with an eco-friendly electric propulsion system, we are revolutionizing the way people move across Dubai’s vibrant waterfront areas”.

Dubai revealed a next-generation fleet of high-powered wooden abras back in 2020 as part of a plan to overhaul the emirate’s marine transport sector. The traditional boats were overhauled to cater to improved safety standards and to allow better access for people with disabilities. Changes included designated wheelchair spaces, life jackets stowed under seats and GPS technology, and upgraded digital payment systems.

News

Instagram Redraws Its Wordmark And The Internet Reads “Instagzam”

Instagram’s first wordmark refresh in a decade arrives with new fonts, a restrained gradient — and a Reddit verdict of sidegrade.

Published

4 days ago

August 14, 2026

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Although Instagram’s famous camera icon hasn’t changed, the company has refreshed the handwritten wordmark at the top of its app. This is the first redesign we’ve seen in ten years, and one the internet promptly set about renaming.

“The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a post on August 13, describing the new version as “cleaner and more modern” while keeping references to the original design.

Instagram says its team explored hundreds of options — all-caps lettering, camera-inspired concepts, even literal handwriting — before returning to script. “Script reflects individuality, so referencing that felt right,” Instagram director of product design Jasmine Probst said in Meta’s announcement. “The new wordmark is bolder and simpler, with touches of unexpectedness. It cues individual expression, a personal voice, both of which have always been core to Instagram”.

The wordmark is part of a broader brand overhaul: an updated Instagram Sans typeface, two new fonts — the hand-drawn Instagram Pen and Instagram Mono — plus refreshed motion and layouts, and more restrained use of the signature gradient. The wordmark is rolling out globally now, with the rest arriving throughout 2026 and beyond.

Also Read: Spotify Will Now Tell You If Your Favorite Artist Isn’t Real

The design mixes cursive and print lettering, some characters connected and others floating free. That hybrid approach, combined with unusually shaped “s” and “r” characters, led some users to conclude the logo actually reads “Instagzam”. On the r/logodesign subreddit, one user said the wordmark looked “fan-made,” like something built in Canva; another called it “an unsettling mix of manuscript and cursive”; a third summarized it as a “sidegrade” — or, inevitably, a “zidegrade”.

Not everyone was hostile to the new look. Some found the half-cursive design stylish and surprisingly readable, while others called it an improvement on its predecessor, and one commenter argued Instagram was simply adopting minimalist branding later than everyone else. Either way, the platform now has a refreshed identity, three updated fonts, and an unofficial new pronunciation.