Uber has rolled out fully driverless robotaxis in Abu Dhabi, marking its fourth autonomous vehicle market globally and the first in the Middle East.
The move comes through a strategic partnership with WeRide, a leading Chinese autonomous vehicle company.
Riders in Abu Dhabi can now book a driverless WeRide robotaxi through Uber when requesting UberX or Uber Comfort, indicating a major milestone for AI-driven mobility in the region.
This launch makes Abu Dhabi the first city in the Middle East where Uber offers fully autonomous rides, joining U.S. cities like Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta, which operate through Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving subsidiary.
The rollout starts on public roads, enabling residents and tourists on Yas Island to experience hands-free rides.
Uber and WeRide have been collaborating since September of last year. WeRide, listed on Nasdaq, provides the autonomous vehicle technology, while Uber integrates it into its massive ride-hailing platform.
The partnership has already seen robotaxis with safety operators in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The full driverless rollout is now part of Uber’s five-year plan to expand WeRide services to 15 more cities, including European markets.
Uber’s Growing Bet on Autonomous Vehicles
Uber’s autonomous strategy increasingly relies on partnerships rather than in-house development, complementing its ride-hailing network with ready-to-deploy robotaxi fleets.
In recent years, Uber has formed key partnerships to expand its autonomous mobility offerings. Collaborations with Waymo have enabled autonomous rides in several U.S. cities, while a six-year robotaxi deal with Lucid and projects with Nuro for autonomous delivery solutions further bolster its self-driving portfolio.
These strategic alliances allow Uber to scale its autonomous services globally without shouldering the high costs and technical challenges of developing self-driving technology entirely in-house.
