Driverless trucks begin moving cargo at Dubai's ports and airports

Autonomous vehicle technology has arrived at the gates of Dubai’s ports and airports. The Dubai Future Foundation and Oxa, a global autonomous vehicle technology company, have formed a joint venture called SHIFFT to develop and deploy next-generation autonomous logistics solutions across the emirate’s ports and airports.

SHIFFT will function as a testing and validation platform where emerging autonomous technologies can be refined, evaluated and ultimately transformed into commercially viable systems. The initiative operates within the Dubai Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Ecosystem, which provides the institutional framework for such technology ventures in the emirate.

The joint venture’s scope extends well beyond vehicle automation alone. SHIFFT will combine autonomous driving capabilities with integrated data collection, analysis and operational intelligence systems, allowing operators to deploy autonomous solutions across entire logistics workflows rather than in isolated pockets. The technology stack includes configurable autonomous driving software, cloud-based fleet management systems and specialized autonomy hardware designed to work with existing industrial vehicles and equipment, without requiring complete infrastructure overhauls.

Khalifa Al Qama, Chief of Dubai’s RDI Ecosystem at Dubai Future Foundation, framed the initiative as part of a broader economic strategy. “Through this Lab, we aim to develop new intelligent logistics solutions that create economic opportunities while accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and their practical applications,” Al Qama said. “The initiative reflects Dubai’s commitment to strengthening its position as a global hub for the future of logistics services by transforming promising technologies into real-world solutions that deliver tangible economic and operational impact.”

The first phase of work will concentrate on autonomous vehicle solutions tailored for port and airport operations, environments where predictable routes and controlled conditions favor early deployment of self-driving systems. The partners have set a firm timeline, targeting the first commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles in Dubai before the end of 2027. That deployment will serve as proof of concept for broader rollout across other logistics applications.

By that point, SHIFFT’s progress will feed directly into Dubai’s Economic Agenda (D33), a long-term growth strategy that includes the goal of doubling the emirate’s foreign trade by 2033. Autonomous logistics solutions are expected to contribute to that target by reducing operational costs, improving throughput and enhancing reliability across supply chains. The technology also addresses persistent challenges in industrial logistics: labor constraints, safety risks and operational inefficiencies that no amount of conventional process improvement has fully resolved.

Paul Newman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oxa, pointed to the practical stakes for fleet operators. “This joint venture with Dubai Future Foundation will accelerate the development and commercial deployment of Industrial Mobile Autonomy technologies, enabling new levels of efficiency, reliability and safety for operators of industrial vehicle fleets,” Newman said.

The Dubai RDI Ecosystem operates under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation. The ecosystem supports both government and private sector organizations in developing breakthrough ideas powered by advanced technologies, while positioning Dubai as a regional hub for research, innovation and future industries.

More information about the initiative is available at https://www.mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2026/august/02-08/dubai-future-foundation-and-oxa-launch-autonomous-logistics-future-lab.

The launch of SHIFFT reflects a wider shift across logistics hubs globally, where autonomous technologies are moving from experimental stages into operational deployment. Dubai’s position as a major international trade center, combined with its institutional support for innovation, creates conditions where such technologies can be tested and refined at scale. The open question now is how quickly the lessons learned at Dubai’s ports and airports translate into commercial models that other logistics operators, in other cities, can actually use.