Uber Technologies is poised to roll out self-driving cars in Abu Dhabi in the near future. The ride-hailing giant has joined forces with China's WeRide to introduce autonomous vehicles on its platform, with plans to commence operations in the UAE later this year.
Once the service is live, a select number of WeRide vehicles will be accessible to commuters. Users will have the option to book WeRide's robotaxis via the Uber app. However, the exact number of self-driving cars to be deployed in Abu Dhabi remains undisclosed.
In 2023, the UAE awarded WeRide the nation's first license for self-driving vehicles on public roads. This marked the first national-level autonomous driving license in the Middle East and globally. With this license, WeRide gained approval to conduct extensive road testing and operations of autonomous vehicles in the UAE.
This collaboration with a global ride-hailing platform marks WeRide's first step in expanding its reach beyond China, while Uber continues its journey towards integrating robotaxis into its service. Earlier this month, Uber expanded its partnership with Alphabet's Waymo to bring robotaxis to Austin and Atlanta in the United States.
In August, Uber also partnered with General Motors' robotaxi unit Cruise, which will start offering autonomous vehicles on the platform next year. WeRide was initially expected to list its shares in the US, with a valuation of up to $5 billion, but its initial public offering has been postponed. The company stated it is working on completing the necessary documentation to proceed with the listing.
