- WeRide began fully unmanned robotaxi pilot operations in Abu Dhabi, creating the first purely unmanned robotaxi fleet in the Middle East.
- It started robotaxi operations with safety officers in December 2024 in Abu Dhabi.
Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD) has begun fully unmanned robotaxis pilot operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after starting operations with safety officers late last year.
The company announced today that it has begun fully unmanned robotaxi pilot operations in Abu Dhabi, creating the first purely unmanned robotaxi fleet in the Middle East.
At the same time, WeRide's service in Abu Dhabi has further expanded with the addition of high-demand areas such as Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island.
This validates WeRide's technological maturity and will propel the company towards large-scale commercial use of robotaxis, said Xuan Li, WeRide CFO and head of international business.
Founded in 2017, WeRide is one of the first companies in China to focus on high-level smart driving solutions. On October 25 last year, the company went public on Nasdaq.
In September 2024, WeRide entered into a partnership with Uber to advance the use of its robotaxis on Uber's platform.
In December 2024, the companies started robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi, with each autonomous vehicle equipped with a safety officer.
Last month, WeRide and Uber expanded their partnership to Dubai.
Earlier this month, WeRide announced that it and Uber would further expand their strategic partnership to include 15 new cities around the world over the next five years, including Europe and the Middle East.
WeRide is currently developing and testing autonomous driving technology in 30 cities in 10 countries around the world.
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