WeRide, a Chinese autonomous vehicle technology company, in partnership with Uber, has successfully launched a fully driverless commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant milestone in the transportation industry. The service, which will operate without a human safety operator, is now open to the public and will initially cover routes on Yas Island, a popular tourist destination known for hosting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Formula 1 racing circuit.
Utilizing similar technology to Uber’s partnership with Waymo in Austin, robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi will allow Uber riders to be matched with a WeRide robotaxi when selecting Uber Comfort or UberX options. To increase the chances of riding in a fully autonomous vehicle, passengers can opt for the “Autonomous” feature within the Uber app. WeRide and Uber are collaborating with fleet operator partner Tawasul to ensure smooth operations.
WeRide recently obtained a federal permit from the United Arab Emirates to conduct fully driverless robotaxi commercial operations, paving the way for further expansion of autonomous services in Abu Dhabi’s city center. This launch signifies a groundbreaking moment in transportation history, as it marks the first driverless AV deployment outside of the U.S. or China, according to Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s head of autonomous mobility and delivery.
Uber has been actively forming partnerships with various autonomous vehicle technology companies worldwide, with a focus on expanding self-driving applications beyond robotaxis to include delivery and trucking services. The company’s partnerships with firms like May Mobility, Volkswagen, Momenta, Pony.ai, Baidu, and Nuro have laid the foundation for the commercialization of autonomous services.
Following the successful launch of a robotaxi service in Austin earlier this year, Uber has now extended its driverless operations to the Middle East through its collaboration with WeRide in Abu Dhabi, with plans to expand to other cities like Dubai. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has projected autonomous vehicle deployments in at least 10 cities on the Uber network by the end of 2026, indicating the rapid growth of autonomous transportation services.
Uber and WeRide are aiming to expand their presence to 15 cities across the Middle East and Europe, with a long-term goal of scaling up to thousands of robotaxis. This ambitious plan represents a significant advancement for WeRide, which currently operates over 150 robotaxis in the region, showcasing the potential for widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles in the near future.
