Uber launches robotaxi service in this city; see details

Uber has introduced its first international robotaxi service in partnership with Guangzhou-based startup WeRide in Abu Dhabi. This marks a significant milestone in Uber’s ambition to integrate a wide range of autonomous vehicles (AVs) onto its platform globally.

Starting this week, customers booking a ride through Uber will have the option to hail an autonomous vehicle from WeRide. While the service is not fully driverless yet, each vehicle will have a safety driver. Both companies aim to transition to a driverless service by 2025. Fares for the autonomous rides will match UberX and Uber Comfort prices, keeping costs competitive.

Uber’s collaboration with WeRide comes a year after the companies announced their partnership in September 2023. WeRide, which holds driverless operation permits in the UAE, Singapore, China, and the US, has already deployed autonomous vehicles in Abu Dhabi under the TXAI app.

The UAE government has actively supported AV operations, granting WeRide its first permit to test and operate autonomous vehicles on public roads in July 2023. This initiative aligns with Abu Dhabi’s broader focus on smart city infrastructure and technological innovation.

Uber, however, has no immediate plans to extend its partnership with WeRide beyond the UAE.

WeRide, founded in 2017 in Silicon Valley before incorporating in the Cayman Islands, specializes in self-driving technology for cars, shuttle buses, and freight equipment. Although the company faced delays in its initial public offering, it debuted in the US stock market in October 2024 with a valuation of $5 billion.

The company’s AV fleet in Abu Dhabi represents a growing ecosystem of robotaxis and delivery robots. “We are committed to shaping the future of transportation, and our collaboration with Uber is another step toward making autonomous mobility accessible worldwide,” WeRide stated.

After shelving its own self-driving car program in 2020, Uber shifted focus to becoming a platform for autonomous vehicle operators. In addition to WeRide, Uber has inked deals with Cruise, Waymo, Motional, and Avride for self-driving cars, as well as Serve, Cartken, and Nuro for delivery robots.

“By integrating autonomous vehicles from different operators onto our platform, we aim to provide customers with diverse and innovative mobility options,” Uber said in a statement.

The initial rollout in Abu Dhabi is expected to attract interest from residents and tourists eager to experience cutting-edge technology. As the service scales, both Uber and WeRide plan to gather data to refine their autonomous systems, ensuring safety and efficiency for future deployments.