Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), part of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, has introduced what it describes as the world’s first modular smart vehicles, unveiled at DRIFTx 2025 during the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Week.

With the announcement, Abu Dhabi becomes the first city to classify modular, reconfigurable smart vehicles as a distinct category of road transport. Developed by NExT, the technology represents a new step in mobility innovation and emerging regulatory frameworks.

The vehicles are designed to link or detach based on operational needs, allowing them to adjust to real-time passenger demand and different service requirements. According to ITC, this flexibility can help ease traffic flow, reduce congestion, and lower emissions by enabling more efficient road use.

The initiative is based on extensive research, including studies conducted in New York and Abu Dhabi, as well as several international awards and field trials that have demonstrated the system’s feasibility.

In partnership with Emirates Driving Company, Liftango, and Paradigma Innovation Hub, ITC will conduct the world’s first pilot of these multi-unit modular vehicles on Yas Island. The trial aims to guide future applications of connected and autonomous mobility in the emirate.

Beyond operational deployment, the vehicles will also serve as a platform for developing smart operating systems and remote-control technologies, supporting ITC’s wider plans to expand autonomous mobility services in the coming years.

Dr. Abdulla Hamad Al Ghfeli, Acting Director General of ITC, stated that the initiative reinforces Abu Dhabi’s efforts to advance innovative transport solutions that enhance system efficiency and sustainability. He described the adoption of modular smart vehicles as a significant milestone in building a more integrated and intelligent mobility ecosystem.

Antonio Guadagnino, CIO of NExT, said the technology provides a deployable solution that does not require new infrastructure and could address challenges such as congestion and first- and last-mile connectivity issues, he noted are likely to shape mobility priorities across the Gulf region.