Dubai’s Gitex 2025 opened with the kind of energy you’d expect from one of the world’s largest technology showcases. But beyond the buzz of AI demonstrations and humanoid robots, the opening day offered a clear signal to the region’s transport, mobility and fleet operators: the technologies shaping tomorrow’s cities are about to transform how fleets move, deliver, and perform.
For those in logistics, rentals, or heavy transport, the first day’s announcements – and the 2-hour traffic jam that corralled drivers around the World Trade Centre – highlighted that the future of mobility will depend less on horsepower and more on data power.
AI for Safety, Compliance, and Efficiency
Among the most discussed innovations was an AI monitoring system designed for delivery riders, intended to reduce accidents and improve safety on the roads. It’s easy to see how that translates to the wider fleet industry. The same algorithms — capable of detecting fatigue, speeding, or risky driving behaviour — could soon become standard across heavy trucks, vans, and long-haul fleets in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Real-time behavioural analytics don’t just prevent accidents; they also feed into driver training, insurance premiums, and uptime planning. As urban fleets grow denser, these systems will help operators maintain both safety and efficiency while demonstrating compliance with increasingly digitalised transport regulations.
Another standout reveal was a network of AI-enabled vehicle scanners capable of identifying violations and monitoring car movement across city roads. While primarily a civic solution, the underlying technology offers fleet managers a glimpse of the future — a world where every truck or van could be part of a connected ecosystem, tracked for performance, emissions, and utilisation in real time.
Drones, Robotics, and Real-Time Inspections
The Gitex halls were alive with robotics and drones, signalling a new phase in automated inspection and remote operations. Drones already trialled at Fujairah Airport show how autonomous systems can handle large-scale monitoring without human intervention. For logistics and fleet operations, this technology could soon extend to yard management, vehicle inspection, and infrastructure surveying, replacing manual checks with aerial intelligence.
Robotic process automation is also moving closer to back-office functions — automating scheduling, maintenance tracking, and even digital fleet audits. As AI platforms mature, they’ll bridge the gap between on-road data and operational planning, freeing managers from repetitive administrative tasks.
From Materials Testing to Mobility Management
One of the more surprising stories of the day — a device that can test jewellery purity in seconds — carried broader significance. The same kind of instant-sensing technology could soon be adapted for logistics and fleet operations, verifying cargo integrity, tyre conditions, or even fuel quality in real time.
Meanwhile, Dubai’s expanded focus on smart parking and traffic management hints at how city logistics will evolve. Fleets will increasingly need to sync operations with municipal systems, optimising deliveries around congestion zones, emissions restrictions, and automated tolling networks.
The message for fleet managers is clear: data interoperability — the ability to plug into wider smart-city networks — will define competitiveness in the next generation of fleet operations.
Implications for Fleet Operators and Rentals
For the Truck and Fleet Middle East audience, Gitex 2025 underscored several key trends:
-
Smarter Safety – AI-based monitoring is moving from concept to necessity. Fleets that adopt it early will gain in safety metrics, insurance leverage, and regulatory readiness.
-
Predictive Maintenance – Intelligent diagnostics and connected sensors will reduce unplanned downtime and extend asset life — a game-changer for rental and leasing firms.
-
Connected Ecosystems – As city infrastructure becomes digital, fleets will need to operate within these systems, using live data to plan routes, optimise fuel, and ensure compliance.
-
Tech-Driven Talent – Managing AI-enabled fleets will demand new skills in data interpretation, cyber-security, and system integration. Upskilling will become as important as vehicle upgrades.
