Uber and WeRide Launch Fully Driverless Robotaxi Service in Dubai
Uber, in collaboration with Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide, has officially launched a fully driverless robotaxi service in Dubai, marking a significant advancement in autonomous transportation within the Middle East. This service is now accessible to riders through the Uber app, covering key commercial and industrial areas such as Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Investment Park Second, Jabal Ali Industrial First, as well as suburban regions and the maritime trading hub of Al Hamriya Port. The local operations are managed by Tawasul, a prominent mobility and fleet operator in the United Arab Emirates.
The journey towards this milestone began in December with a pilot program that introduced robotaxis to Dubai. Initially, these rides were complimentary and included a human safety operator onboard. However, following the issuance of a driverless vehicle trial permit by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority last month, the service has transitioned to fully autonomous operations without human intervention.
This development underscores WeRide’s commitment to expanding its robotaxi services in the region and highlights Uber’s strategic investment in autonomous vehicle technology. According to recent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Uber holds a 5.82% stake in WeRide. In the previous year, Uber invested $100 million into WeRide, with its equity stake now valued at approximately $150 million based on WeRide’s recent stock performance.
Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility and delivery, emphasized the significance of this launch, stating, Bringing fully driverless vehicles to Dubai is an important milestone in making autonomous mobility a global reality. This launch underscores our deep commitment to the UAE and our vision for a hybrid world — where drivers and AVs operate side-by-side to create a more resilient network. Especially during challenging times in the region, we are proud to be a partner to this city, ensuring that Uber is always there to help people move seamlessly and with confidence.
The partnership between Uber and WeRide is part of a broader strategy to expand autonomous ride-hailing services. In May 2025, Uber increased its investment in WeRide as part of a commercial robotaxi partnership aimed at introducing services to an additional 15 cities over the next five years, including locations in Europe. Under this collaboration, WeRide’s robotaxi services are integrated into the Uber app, mirroring Uber’s partnership with Waymo, where Uber manages network routing and fleet operations, while the autonomous vehicle company provides the self-driving technology.
This initiative reflects a growing trend of integrating autonomous vehicles into urban transportation networks, offering a glimpse into the future of mobility where human drivers and autonomous vehicles coexist to provide efficient and reliable transportation solutions.
