Uber Technologies is set to introduce self-driving cars in Abu Dhabi soon. The ride-hailing company has partnered with China’s WeRide to launch autonomous vehicles on its platform, which is expected to begin in the UAE later this year.
Once operational, a dedicated number of WeRide vehicles will be made available to commuters. Users will be presented with the option to select WeRide’s robotaxis through the Uber app. However, the number of self-driving cars to be deployed in Abu Dhabi has not been disclosed.
In 2023, the UAE granted WeRide the first national license for self-driving vehicles on the country’s roads. This was the first national-level autonomous driving license in the Middle East and even globally. With this license, WeRide got the approval to conduct various road testing and operations of autonomous driving vehicles in the UAE.
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WeRide’s first collaboration with a global ride-hailing platform will help the company expand its reach beyond China, while Uber takes another towards incorporating robotaxis into its platform.
Uber expanded its partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo to bring robotaxis to Austin and Atlanta in the United States earlier this month.
In August, Uber tied up with General Motors’ robotaxi unit Cruise, which will offer its autonomous vehicles on the platform starting next year.
WeRide was expected to list its shares in the US, valuing the firm up to $5 billion, but its initial public offering has been delayed and the firm said it was working to complete documentation to go ahead with the listing.