Abu Dhabi has become the first city outside the United States to host fully driverless rides on the Uber platform, following the official rollout of autonomous robotaxis operated in partnership with China’s WeRide, one of the world’s leading autonomous-driving technology firms.
The launch marks a major step in the UAE’s push to position itself at the forefront of smart mobility and next-generation transport solutions. It follows the strategic collaboration agreement announced by Uber and WeRide last year, aimed at scaling commercial autonomous-vehicle services across the Middle East.
Starting this week, riders who request an UberX or Uber Comfort trip may be matched with a WeRide robotaxi, which will arrive without a safety driver or vehicle operator. The deployment makes Abu Dhabi only the third city in the world—after select U.S. markets—to host fully driverless commercial operations through Uber’s global platform.
Uber confirmed that the companies plan to expand operations beyond the Abu Dhabi city core before the end of 2025, supporting the UAE’s ambition to integrate autonomous vehicles into public transport and reduce reliance on human-operated fleets. According to the company, WeRide already operates more than 100 autonomous vehicles across the Middle East, making it one of the region’s largest robo taxi fleets.
The UAE has been steadily upgrading its regulatory, safety and digital-infrastructure frameworks to accommodate autonomous mobility. Authorities have issued clear guidelines for mapping, monitoring, and certifying driverless vehicles, and Abu Dhabi has emerged as a regional testing hub for AI-driven mobility technologies.
The rollout of Uber–WeRide robotaxis is expected to accelerate the UAE’s smart-city agenda, enhance road-safety performance by reducing human error, and provide insights for future autonomous bus, logistics, and last-mile delivery services.
The initiative also strengthens the UAE’s positioning in global autonomous-vehicle innovation, bringing international partnerships into a fast-growing local ecosystem that includes AV testing zones, 5G-enabled road networks, and nationwide digital mapping.
Uber said the deployment reflects growing global confidence in WeRide’s Level-4 autonomous driving technology, which has been tested in complex urban environments, including Guangzhou, San Francisco and Dubai.
As adoption expands, Abu Dhabi is expected to serve as the central node for autonomous mobility in the Middle East—a model the UAE hopes to scale across the region through bilateral cooperation, regulatory harmonisation, and private-sector partnerships.
