Abu Dhabi’s Built-in Transport Centre (ITC), an affiliate of the Division of Municipalities and Transport, has overseen the launch of a pilot programme for autonomous vehicles working inside the emirate’s logistics sector — the primary of its sort within the Center East and North Africa (MENA) area.
The venture is being carried out in partnership with autonomous automobile techniques developer Autotech and AD Ports Group, and is working inside Khalifa Financial Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD).
AI techniques tailored to native situations
Throughout 2025, Autotech labored underneath ITC supervision to adapt synthetic intelligence (AI)-based autonomous driving techniques to native street necessities and logistics transport wants. Pilot journeys have been performed alongside devoted routes inside KEZAD, in accordance with authorized regulatory frameworks and operational requirements.
The venture focuses on evaluating autonomous truck operations inside an outlined industrial and logistics atmosphere, assessing the know-how’s readiness for deployment in real-world situations and evaluating security and operational efficiency.
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“Through these pilot initiatives, the Centre is committed to evaluating technical solutions within safe and structured operational frameworks, supporting the development of future policies and regulations based on real-world data and practical experience,” says Dr Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, performing director common of the Built-in Transport Centre.
Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a regional hub for good mobility and autonomous techniques adoption. Picture: AdobeStock
Path to industrial deployment
The initiative types a part of ITC’s broader efforts to develop the good and autonomous mobility ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, and to arrange regulatory frameworks for modern options serving the provision chain and logistics sector. The acknowledged purpose is to enhance freight transport effectivity and operational efficiency throughout financial and industrial zones, forward of a transition to industrial deployment of autonomous logistics providers.
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“This project represents an important regulatory milestone in advancing the smart mobility ecosystem in the emirate of Abu Dhabi,” says AlGhfeli. “It reflects the Centre’s direction towards expanding the application of autonomous systems to include freight and logistics transport, alongside passenger transport.”
He provides that the initiative additionally helps Abu Dhabi’s place as a regional hub for good mobility adoption, in step with the UAE Nationwide Technique for Synthetic Intelligence 2031.
ITC says it’ll proceed to collaborate with native and worldwide companions to allow additional pilot tasks in good mobility, balancing technological development with security and sustainability necessities.
