Autonomous driving company WeRide and Uber Technologies have launched fully driverless Level 4 robotaxi services for public use in Abu Dhabi, marking the first commercial driverless operation in the Middle East and the first city outside the United States to host fully autonomous rides on Uber’s platform. Commercial operations began on Yas Island, with wider expansion planned across Abu Dhabi’s core urban areas.
The launch follows regulatory approvals secured earlier this year. In October 2025, WeRide obtained a federal permit for fully driverless commercial robotaxi operations, after which Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre granted WeRide and local fleet operator Tawasul the first operational license for a fully driverless commercial robotaxi service in the emirate. The initial phase of operations is being run jointly by WeRide and Tawasul through the Uber app.
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Passengers can now access the driverless vehicles through multiple booking options on Uber, including Uber Comfort and UberX, where riders may be matched with a WeRide robotaxi, as well as through a newly introduced Autonomous category, which Uber said is its first dedicated autonomous ride option globally. The vehicles operate without a safety driver or vehicle specialist on board.
WeRide and Uber said the Abu Dhabi service forms part of a broader expansion strategy in the region. Since the two companies launched their robotaxi ride-hailing partnership in December 2024, service coverage has expanded rapidly, reaching around half of Abu Dhabi’s core areas by July 2025, including Al Reem and Al Maryah.
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Further expansion across additional central districts is planned by the end of 2025, with the partners aiming to scale to thousands of robotaxis across the Middle East in the coming years. WeRide currently operates more than 100 robotaxis in the region and has autonomous driving permits in eight countries, including the UAE, China, the United States and several European markets.
