RTA, Uber & WeRide partner to create Dubai robotaxi services
RTA expands autonomous mobility trials with multiple global tech leaders
#UAE #robotaxis - Global ride-hailing giant Uber and autonomous vehicle company WeRide have partnered with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to integrate robotaxi services into Dubai's transportation network. The collaboration aims to make autonomous vehicles an accessible and reliable part of everyday life in Dubai. This is the second major driverless taxi agreement announced during the past week, following the news on Sunday that Baidu’s Apollo Go had signed a partnership with the RTA to introduce robotaxi services in Dubai.
SO WHAT? - Uber and WeRide already provide driverless taxi services in Abu Dhabi, following a successful autonomous transport trial which started in 2021. The two technology companies will be now be able to leverage that experience in creating services for Dubai emirate. However, the announcement of an RTA agreement with WeRide just a few days after an agreement was announced with Apollo Go signals that Dubai’s RTA now seems to be taking a multi-vendor approach to its robotaxi services rollout. Dubai had been piloting driverless taxi services with GM’s ill-fated self-driving car subsidiary Cruise. Now, it seems that trials on Dubai streets will soon begin with both Apollo Go and WeRide.
Here are some more key points about this announcement:
Ride-hailing giant Uber and autonomous vehicle company WeRide have partnered with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to introduce robotaxi services on Dubai's road network.
The agreement establishes a framework for pilot programs leveraging Uber's platform to match riders with autonomous vehicles while ensuring user-friendly experiences in real-world conditions.
WeRide became the first autonomous vehicle provider to secure the UAE's national license for self-driving vehicles on public roads in July 2023, demonstrating regulatory confidence in their technology.
WeRide CEO Tony Han previously told UAE newspaper The National in 2023 that the company would put hundreds of autonomous vehicles on UAE roads by 2025. However, no numbers were shared in this week’s announcement.
The Dubai launch follows WeRide's successful commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles on Uber's platform in Abu Dhabi in December 2024, showing regional expansion momentum.
The partnership will explore data insights, safety protocols, and regulatory frameworks to support a smooth transition to autonomous mobility throughout Dubai's transportation ecosystem.
The RTA partnership forms part of Uber's global strategy to commercialise and deploy autonomous vehicle technology at scale across multiple global markets.
WeRide currently operates in over 30 cities across 10 countries, holding driverless permits in China, the UAE, Singapore, France and the US, bringing substantial international experience to the project.
The initiative supports Dubai's Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which targets converting 25% of all city journeys into autonomous trips across various transport modes by 2030.
Additional details regarding the launch timeline and specifics of the autonomous vehicle pilot in Dubai are expected to be announced in the coming months.
ZOOM OUT - A few days ago, Baidu’s autonomous taxi platform, Apollo Go, announced a major expansion into the UAE, with new strategic partnerships with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to deploy services in Dubai and with Autogo to deploy in Abu Dhabi. The Apollo Go agreement aims to put 100 fully autonomous vehicles on Dubai roads by the end of 2025, with plans to expand the fleet to at least 1,000 by 2028.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Read more about the UAE’s driverless vehicle journey:
Baidu's Apollo Go to expand robotaxi services to UAE (Middle East AI News)
New ATRC venture to transform vehicles into AVs (Middle East AI News)
Root4AI to fast-track autonomous systems (Middle East AI News)
Abu Dhabi confirms anchor deals for SAVI (Middle East AI News)
Abu Dhabi announces new smart mobility cluster (Middle East AI News)
Chinese, Egyptian firms win Dubai World Challenge (Middle East AI News)