Uber and WeRide are currently rolling out completely driverless cars as part of their robotaxi service in the United Arab Emirates. In Abu Dhabi, users requesting an UberX or Uber Comfort might be paired with a fully autonomous WeRide vehicle if their route falls within the service’s coverage area.
Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide launched their robotaxi service with safety drivers back in December 2024. At that time, the companies indicated they planned to remove safety drivers from the cars the next year.
Initially, these fully autonomous vehicles will only operate in specified areas within the 12 square miles of Yas Island, a favored tourist location in Abu Dhabi. Uber and WeRide intend to broaden the scope of their fully driverless operations in the future. Customers wishing to travel in a driverless vehicle can choose the “Autonomous” option in the Uber app for a higher chance of being matched.
The vehicles are WeRide’s GXR model outfitted with more than 20 sensors and cameras, accommodating up to five passengers. The GXR is based on Geely’s Farizon SuperVan, which is also deployed as a WeRide robotaxi in Beijing. In a manner similar to Uber’s collaboration with Waymo in the US, the ride-hailing company manages the fleet operations for WeRide’s robotaxis alongside taxi operator Tawasul Transport, which encompasses vehicle cleaning, maintenance, inspections, charging, and depot management. WeRide handles the responsibilities of vehicle testing and sensor calibration.
Besides their operations in the UAE, Uber and WeRide have announced plans to expand into 15 additional cities over the next five years, which will include several cities in Europe. Uber has maintained a momentum of forming partnerships with new AV firms in recent years as it strives to be a comprehensive resource for robotic vehicles and robot delivery of all brands (except for Tesla, for the moment).
