The buyers will also be able to take a closer look at vehicles from home.

The pandemic saw almost every service go online at a time when stepping outside was off limits for people across the globe, and highly connected ecosystems like the UAE were able to ensure access to the digital space for their residents. Video conferencing facilitated work from home, telemedicine and also online education, while payment of bills as well as banking transactions were carried out via fintech apps, in line with social distancing norms.

With virtual art galleries opening doors to Emiratis and assets being sold in the form of digital crypto tokens, online auctions also became increasingly popular among netizens who are now able to bid for everything from art to real estate through the internet. Now an an app launched by a UAE-based auction house, has set the stage for netizens to seamlessly place their bids for automobiles, at any hour via secure channels.

The online and offline auction house Pioneer, has created the platform to provide the experience of an auction hall virtually through the smartphone screen, and speed up the bidding process. Buyers and sellers can come in direct contact through the app for higher transparency, while transactions carried out through the portal are protected via secure payment gateways.

Netizens can also access a 360 degree visual to check the vehicle in real time before making the purchase, and auctions are live-streamed on the app as well as the firm's website. Clientele ranging from construction companies to car collectors can access the sessions with a few clicks, and can also get a detailed report about the vehicles without having to inspect them physically.

Being one of the first online auction platforms in the UAE launched more than a decade back, Pioneer was also the first to use live streaming for bidding sessions in the region.

The post-pandemic era has seen people bidding for Islamic art, collectibles, property and antiques online, as the world's top auction houses took the digital route.