Uber rolls out driverless robotaxis in Abu Dhabi

Uber has officially launched its fully autonomous rides in Abu Dhabi, marking the company's entry into its fourth market for driverless services. This initiative, executed in collaboration with WeRide, a Chinese firm specializing in autonomous vehicles, establishes the first driverless robotaxi service in the Middle East. The service, now available in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, enables riders to request a WeRide robotaxi when opting for an UberX or Uber Comfort ride. This rollout follows WeRide's partnership with Uber, which was solidified in September 2024. Prior to the full driverless launch, WeRide had been providing rides with a safety operator present since December last year. Additionally, Uber and WeRide had previously introduced robotaxi services in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with safety operators on board in October. Looking ahead, Uber has ambitious plans to expand the WeRide service to 15 more cities across Europe and beyond within the next five years. Uber has heavily invested in autonomous vehicle technology through strategic partnerships. Earlier this year, the company began offering robotaxi services in Austin and Atlanta, with Phoenix seeing its launch in late 2023. Furthermore, in July, Uber secured a significant six-year agreement with electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid and the autonomous vehicle startup Nuro. Meanwhile, WeRide has successfully launched its own fully driverless robotaxi services in major Chinese cities like Beijing and Guangzhou. While Uber has not disclosed specific details regarding revenue-sharing with its partners, it is clear that competition in the autonomous rideshare space is heating up, especially with Lyft's recent announcement of a partnership with Waymo for robotaxi services in Nashville next year. In Abu Dhabi, the driverless vehicles will operate in designated areas of Yas Island. Riders can enhance their chances of hailing a robotaxi by selecting the autonomous option through the app, which also offers in-ride support via an integrated vehicle tablet.