Uber Technologies has announced a partnership with Chinese self-driving technology firm WeRide, aiming to introduce WeRide’s autonomous vehicles to its rideshare platform in the United Arab Emirates. This collaboration marks WeRide’s first engagement with a global ride-hailing service, signaling the company’s intent to extend its operations beyond China while providing Uber with a step towards integrating robotaxis into its offerings.
The partnership is set to launch in Abu Dhabi later this year. WeRide has been awarded the UAE’s first and only national license for self-driving vehicles, which permits the firm to test and operate robotaxis on public roads across the nation.
This announcement follows Uber’s recent expansions in its autonomous vehicle initiatives, including a collaboration with Alphabet’s Waymo to introduce robotaxis in Austin and Atlanta, and a partnership with General Motors’ Cruise, which is set to offer its autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform starting next year.
WeRide, which had plans to list its shares in the United States with a valuation of up to $5 billion, has delayed its initial public offering. The company is currently finalizing documentation to proceed with the listing.
In related news, the Biden administration recently proposed new regulations that would restrict the testing of self-driving cars on U.S. roads by Chinese automakers. This proposal also targets vehicle software and hardware produced by other foreign adversaries, including Russia, as part of broader concerns over national security and technology control.
