Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has teamed up with autonomous vehicle technology firm Oxa to open the Autonomous Logistics Future Lab, a joint venture named SHIFFT that will push the city further into the future of intelligent logistics.
Announced under the Dubai Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Ecosystem, the lab will act as a testing ground for autonomous logistics technologies, taking them from early-stage concepts to solutions ready for real-world commercial use. The aim is to boost productivity and operational resilience across the logistics sector while adding economic value to the wider industry.
SHIFFT ties directly into the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), supporting its target of doubling the emirate's foreign trade by 2033. The platform will bring together autonomous driving systems with data collection and operational intelligence, allowing companies to deploy the technology across entire industrial sites rather than in isolated pockets.
The first phase will centre on ports and airports, with the partners targeting a commercial rollout in Dubai before the end of 2027.
Khalifa Al Qama, Chief of Dubai's RDI Ecosystem, said the lab reflects Dubai's ambition to turn promising technologies into practical solutions with measurable economic and operational impact.
Oxa founder and CEO Paul Newman added that the partnership would fast-track the development of industrial mobile autonomy, bringing new levels of efficiency and safety to fleet operators.
SHIFFT will run on configurable autonomous driving software, cloud-based fleet management tools and purpose-built autonomy hardware designed to work with existing industrial vehicles, making it easier for operators to scale up deployment without overhauling their fleets.
The Dubai RDI Ecosystem, established under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, continues to anchor the emirate's push to become a global centre for research and future industries.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
