WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - WeRide Inc. (WRD), an autonomous driving technology company, and Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER) have launched Level 4 fully driverless Robotaxi commercial operations in Abu Dhabi, marking the first driverless service in the Middle East and the first city outside the U.S. to offer fully driverless rides on the Uber platform.
The launch follows WeRide securing the world's first city-level driverless Robotaxi permit outside the U.S., along with a federal permit obtained in October 2025. The Integrated Transport Centre also granted WeRide and fleet partner Tawasul the first operational licence for a fully driverless commercial Robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi.
Rides are now available on Yas Island without a vehicle specialist onboard, and passengers can book a WeRide Robotaxi through Uber Comfort, UberX or a new dedicated 'Autonomous' category. The service, jointly operated by WeRide and fleet partner Tawasul, is expected to achieve breakeven unit economics as vehicle utilisation increases.
The launch builds on WeRide and Uber's growing partnership, already the largest commercial Robotaxi service outside the U.S. and China, and is set to expand further across Abu Dhabi's core areas by the end of 2025. WeRide currently operates more than 100 Robotaxis in the Middle East.
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