The vehicles being launched by a Chinese firm, will come with displays and QR code scanners.

 Months of lockdown and the period of restrictions that followed fuelled a consistent growth in demand for e-commerce, which was at first a quick fix, but soon became a popular option for shopping. The ease of accessing a wider range of products, paying remotely and placing quick orders, was only topped by the swift delivery that e-stores in the Emirates were able to provide, owing to streamlined transportation.

The online shopping sector has also been strengthened thanks to AI, from algorithms that suggest products that suite an individual's preferences, to robots facilitating the smooth functioning at warehouses. To boost the delivery of food, apparel and similar products across the Emirati smart city Dubai, a Chinese firm has tied up with local e-marketplace Noon, to launch self-driving vans into the supply chain.

These autonomous wagons which are set to hit Emirati roads by next month, have been created by Neolix, and have additional features to assist consumers. In order to resolve issues on the spot, the smart vehicles are equipped with interactive displays that customers can use.

Beyond consumer care, the screen also doubles up as a QR code scanner to make sure only users who've placed an order can pick up the product, with added security. As part of the GITEX tech week, the driverless delivery vans are being showcased by Dubai's road transport authority, alongside solutions like AI for detecting cyclists without helmets.

Other than carrying pre-ordered items to a customer's location, these smart vehicles can also be loaded with multiple products, so that people can use them as vending machines to pick what they need.

There may be more such solutions in the pipeline for Dubai, since the RTA has turned its focus towards logistics as part of a challenge it hosts, for innovators from different parts of the world.

For the time being, the driverless delivery service will be using pedestrian routes, instead of the main roads, to avoid traffic snarls.