By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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Elon Musk has signed on to a new construction project in Dubai that will connect the city with dozens of underground roads.
Musk's The Boring Company, which is responsible for building a similar project in Las Vegas, aims to create 17 kilometers of tunnel capable of transporting driverless cars across the United Arab Emirates city.
Newsweek contacted the UAE's Road and Transport Authority for more information via email.
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Why It Matters
Dubai is home to some of the largest construction projects in the world, but the city faces issues with space and environmental impact after its rapid expansion. The Boring Company's use of underground space could work around that problem while also providing the city some much-needed infrastructure, though it will be a test of Musk's ability to balance his private enterprises with his newfound responsibility in Trump's administration.
What To Know
Elon Musk announced the partnership for the Dubai Loop on the final day of the World Governments Summit on Thursday, in a joint statement with the UAE's Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Omar Al Olama.
Musk said: "Once people try it out, they're going to say, 'Wow, it's really cool.' It's going to seem so obvious in retrospect."
"It's going to be like a wormhole, from one part of the city, boom, and you're at another part of the city, and it's great. We look forward to his partnership."
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The Loop aims to carry 20,000 passengers an hour once fully completed, with over 100 stations connecting the tunnels to the city's major airports and attractions.
Musk also said that underground construction meant the system would stay cool despite Dubai's heat, even if global temperatures increase.
"Underground is a good place to be in a worst-case scenario for global thermonuclear warfare," Musk said.
"If you have bad weather, like let's say there's a blizzard or a sandstorm or something, well, now nobody can fly. None of these problems exist with underground travel."
What People Are Saying
In a 2022 statement on the construction of underground tunnels in Las Vegas, The Boring Company said the tunnels have "no internal touch hazards (e.g. a 600 volt third rail), enabling safe evacuation, minimizing potential fire sources and eliminating any dangerous effects of (unlikely) water intrusion."
In addition, the tunnels' "redundant, bidirectional ventilation system will remove the smoke to allow passengers to safely evacuate" in the "unlikely case that a fire does occur."
What Happens Next
A full timeline for the Dubai Loop has not yet been confirmed. Construction is expected to take several years.
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