GITEX 2025: UAE Smart Cars Spot Visa Violators in Seconds

UAE plans to deploy smart cars to catch visa violators at a crucial moment. Authorities have already identified more than 32,000 visa violations during 2025’s first half. These AI-powered vehicles can scan and match approximately 50 people’s iris prints with the Immigration and Citizenship Portal’s database in seconds.

The country’s smart services program features inspection vehicles with advanced capabilities. Each car comes equipped with six high-resolution cameras that offer complete surveillance coverage around the vehicle. The AI system processes violations quickly and safely, which allows authorities to focus on emergencies and complex situations. These smart vehicles can monitor activities up to 10 meters in every direction and automatically alert officials when they detect matches in UAE’s residency status records. The fully electric cars boast an impressive 680km range and will first appear on Dubai’s streets by early 2026, followed by a rollout across other emirates.

UAE unveils AI smart cars at Gitex 2025

“Dubai just raised the bar for law enforcement. At Gitex Global 2025, the UAE surprised the world by unveiling AI-powered smart cars capable of detecting visa and residency violators in real time—without officers having to leave their vehicles.” — Times of India Staff Writer, Times of India Middle East Correspondent

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) amazed visitors at Gitex Global 2025 by unveiling their AI-powered smart patrol vehicles. These cutting-edge inspection cars mark a big step forward in UAE’s approach to monitoring and enforcing residency rules.

Federal Authority ICP showcases new patrol vehicle

ICP officials showed off a fully electric inspection vehicle at the prestigious tech exhibition. The car comes equipped with six high-resolution cameras that provide complete 360-degree coverage. A sophisticated dashboard displays live information through heat maps and visual analytics.

“It’s fully electrical. It has its own dashboard, and it’s working with the AI, so it gives you some heat maps,” explained Faris Almaeeni, Foreign Affairs Systems Department Manager at ICP.

K2, a government-owned advanced technology company in Abu Dhabi, developed the patrol vehicle. The company is known for its breakthroughs in AI, robotics, and autonomous systems.

Smart cars designed to detect visa violators in real time

These breakthrough vehicles quickly spot visa and residency violations during patrol. The system captures facial images of people within about 10 meters of the car. Advanced artificial intelligence algorithms analyze facial features with impressive speed and accuracy.

Officers will drive these highly automated vehicles during routine patrols. They can review flagged individuals on their screens. The system sends instant alerts when it detects potential violations. This allows officers to approach people and verify their documents through standard legal channels.

Part of broader UAE smart services initiative

This technological breakthrough lines up with UAE’s ‘Smart Dubai’ agenda and ‘We the UAE 2031′ vision. These initiatives prioritize digital transformation in public services. The project aims to boost field inspection teams’ efficiency while reducing dependence on traditional methods.

Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director-General of the ICP, called the project “an innovation in field control methods.” The agency will first deploy these vehicles in Dubai by early 2026. They plan to expand to other emirates after that. This addresses the growing challenge of residency violations, which reached over 32,000 cases in just the first half of 2025.

How do the AI cars detect visa violators?

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AI-powered patrol vehicles combine multiple advanced technologies to catch visa violators with precision. These innovative systems mark a major step forward in UAE’s immigration enforcement capabilities.

Six high-resolution cameras provide 360-degree coverage

The patrol vehicles come equipped with six smart cameras placed strategically around the body to monitor the complete perimeter. This setup gives full 360-degree coverage and captures every angle around the patrol car. The advanced camera system monitors visually up to 10 meters in all directions. This allows officers to scan vehicles and pedestrians completely within this radius. The cameras work together to remove blind spots and catch violations effectively.

Facial recognition and license plate scanning in real time

Smart cars’ core strength lies in their AI-driven recognition technology. The system captures and processes facial images immediately. The cars’ sophisticated AI algorithms analyze facial features quickly and accurately to ensure proper identification. The technology can identify about 50 people in seconds by matching their iris prints with ICP’s system records. The vehicles also scan nearby cars’ license plates and check them against vehicle registration databases.

Instant alerts sent to authorities for immediate action

The system sends quick alerts to authorities when it spots potential violators. Officers can respond fast without manual verification. Each vehicle’s dedicated operational interface shows results right away so officers can take action in the field. When violations show up, officers approach individuals to check documents through proper legal channels.

Integration with residency status UAE databases

The system connects securely and directly to authority databases to process information accurately. Patrol cars can check captured data instantly against official residency and visa records. The dashboard’s predictive technology helps officers make decisions directly. Violators can also pay their fines on the spot when caught, which makes enforcement smoother from start to finish.

What makes these smart cars technically advanced?

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“Fully electric with a 680-kilometer range, these cars patrol silently, reducing risks for officers while ensuring coverage across the city.” — Times of India Staff Writer, Times of India Middle East Correspondent

The ICP’s new patrol vehicles pack impressive technical features that make them perfect for UAE’s challenging environment. These cars mark a breakthrough in merging clean technology with sophisticated enforcement tools.

Fully electric with 680km range and eco-friendly design

These smart inspection vehicles run purely on clean energy and offer a reliable 680km range per charge. Officers can work all day without worrying about recharging. The vehicles merge perfectly with Dubai’s Green Mobility Strategy, showing UAE’s steadfast dedication to sustainability. This green approach pairs environmental care with better enforcement.

Operates in extreme weather and low visibility

These vehicles come with smart design features that keep them running smoothly in harsh weather. The cars perform reliably in all emirates despite dust storms and scorching temperatures. While many autonomous systems fail in bad weather, these smart cars use advanced sensors that work even when visibility drops.

Predictive dashboard and heat maps for officers

Each vehicle comes with a custom dashboard showing live heat maps and alerts. The user-friendly display works with AI to show where violations might happen. This predictive tech helps officers handle alerts better and respond quickly to possible violations. The system makes decision-making easier through visual data.

Not fully autonomous—officers still verify violations

While these cars pack automated sensing and analysis features, they still need drivers. Officers patrol in these vehicles and check flagged individuals on their screens. They step out to verify documents whenever they spot potential violations. The whole process keeps humans at its core, with technology acting as a helper—not a replacement—for trained officers.

When and where will the smart cars be deployed?

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The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security showed their timeline to deploy revolutionary vehicles after an impressive showcase at Gitex Global 2025.

Original rollout in Dubai by early 2026

ICP officials announced that AI-powered inspection vehicles will start operating on Dubai’s roads in early 2026. Dubai’s central areas will see these vehicles first, with a focus on high-traffic zones where visa violations commonly occur. This phase will test the technology before wider implementation.

Expansion to other emirates planned

The authority will systematically expand to other emirates after the Dubai launch. This approach will give proper integration with existing enforcement systems and allow time for officer training and operational adjustments throughout the country.

ICP flagged 32,000+ violations in H1 2025

Recent statistics reveal the urgency of this technological advancement. ICP caught over 32,000 individuals who violated the Foreign Entry and Residency Law between January and June 2025. Legal processes led to the deportation of 70% of these individuals, which shows the scale of enforcement challenges authorities face.

K2 leads development of AI vehicle platform

K2, an Abu Dhabi-based technology company specializing in AI and autonomous systems, developed these vehicles. Their partnership goes beyond these vehicles and supports Abu Dhabi’s efforts to build smarter transport networks.

UAE’s approach to immigration enforcement has taken a major leap forward with AI-powered smart patrol vehicles. These advanced cars strike the right balance between state-of-the-art technology and practical law enforcement needs. The rapid processing of 50 people through iris matching in seconds shows how field inspection capabilities have progressed quickly.

These vehicles pack impressive technical features. Six high-resolution cameras offer complete 360-degree coverage and pair with a 680km electric range that proves security can work hand-in-hand with sustainability. Officers now use predictive dashboards and heat maps while retaining control over the verification process.

The Federal Authority’s handling of over 32,000 visa violations in early 2025 demonstrates their commitment to tackle enforcement challenges head-on. Smart patrol vehicles started their rollout in Dubai first to ensure smooth implementation before expanding nationwide.

These inspection vehicles go beyond just showcasing new technology. They reflect the core values of UAE’s ‘Smart Dubai’ agenda and ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision. This mix of innovation, efficiency, and human-centered design creates a future where technology boosts traditional enforcement methods instead of replacing them. UAE leads the way in applying advanced technology to solve real governance challenges.