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Uber expanded its autonomous vehicle footprint on Wednesday, launching fully driverless robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi in a strategic partnership with WeRide, a leading Chinese autonomous vehicle firm. This landmark initiative marks Uber’s fourth market to offer such services and the first driverless robotaxi deployment in the Middle East, signaling a significant step forward in the global adoption of autonomous mobility solutions.
The ride-hailing giant stated that this launch in the capital of the United Arab Emirates represents a key milestone. Uber already provides robotaxi services in select U.S. cities like Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta, leveraging its collaboration with Alphabet’s Waymo.
Abu Dhabi riders can now request a WeRide robotaxi through the UberX or Uber Comfort options within the Uber app. This integration allows users to seamlessly experience autonomous transportation within their existing ride-hailing workflow.
WeRide, a publicly listed company, formalized its partnership with Uber in September 2024. Prior to the full driverless launch, the companies initiated autonomous rides with a safety operator on board in Abu Dhabi in December 2024. Furthermore, they jointly introduced robotaxi rides with a safety operator in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 2025 underscoring a broader commitment to expanding autonomous mobility within the region. Uber announced plans in May to extend the WeRide service to 15 additional cities, including locations in Europe, over the subsequent five years, indicating a strong vote of confidence in the technology and its market potential.
Uber’s foray into autonomous vehicle technology reflects a broader industry trend of embracing strategic partnerships to accelerate innovation and deployment. By collaborating with specialized players like WeRide, Uber gains access to cutting-edge autonomous driving stacks and valuable operational experience, while sharing the financial burden and technological risks associated with developing and deploying these complex systems.
Uber’s existing robotaxi services in Austin and Atlanta, launched earlier this year, and Phoenix, initiated in late 2023, provide valuable real-world data and insights into user behavior, operational challenges, and regulatory considerations. In July, Uber solidified its commitment to autonomous mobility with a six-year robotaxi agreement with electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid and AV startup Nuro, further diversifying its technology portfolio and expanding its reach within the autonomous vehicle ecosystem.
WeRide, for its part, has been actively deploying fully driverless robotaxi services in major Chinese cities like Beijing and Guangzhou. This extensive operational experience in a dense and complex urban environment positions WeRide as a key player in the global autonomous driving landscape. The company’s expertise in navigating intricate traffic patterns and diverse road conditions lends credibility to its partnership with Uber and its ability to adapt its technology to new markets.
While Uber has not publicly disclosed the specific revenue-sharing arrangement with its robotaxi partners, industry analysts suggest that such agreements typically involve a combination of upfront licensing fees, per-mile or per-ride charges, and potential profit-sharing based on the performance and utilization of the autonomous vehicles. The long-term financial viability of these partnerships will depend on achieving significant cost reductions in autonomous driving technology, increasing vehicle uptime, and demonstrating a compelling value proposition to riders.
The competitive landscape in the robotaxi market is rapidly evolving, with players like Lyft actively pursuing strategic alliances to bolster their autonomous driving capabilities. Lyft, for example, announced a partnership with Waymo in September to launch robotaxis in Nashville next year underscoring the growing recognition of autonomous mobility as a critical component of future transportation networks.
In Abu Dhabi, the driverless vehicles will initially operate within designated areas of Yas Island. Uber is incentivizing riders to select the autonomous option, suggesting a potential demand for this service. Moreover, on-board support features, accessible through the mobile app and in-vehicle tablet, aim to enhance the rider experience and provide real-time assistance throughout the autonomous journey.
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Original article, Author: Tobias. If you wish to reprint this article, please indicate the source:https://aicnbc.com/13634.html
