Chinese autonomous driving company launches robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi

Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide launched its fully driverless commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday. The emirate has become the first city in the Middle East to roll out such a futuristic transport option.

Without an on-board safety supervisor, the service uses WeRide’s van-type Robotaxi GXR, which features Level 4 autonomy. Hailable via the Uber app, the robotaxi will serve routes on Yas Island, a man-made destination home to numerous tourism projects, WeRide said.

The launch was backed by Abu Dhabi's Integrated Transport Centre, which issued the world’s first city-level permit for fully driverless robotaxi operations.

"Passengers can be matched with a WeRide robotaxi through Uber X or Uber Comfort, and can also book it through the new 'autonomous' category, Uber's global first dedicated autonomous ride option," the company said in a statement.

WeRide currently runs nearly 150 robotaxis in the Middle East. By the end of this year, the company and Uber plan to extend the services to cover more core areas in Abu Dhabi.

In the UAE, WeRide's robotaxi secured a federal permit in October to conduct fully driverless robotaxi commercial operations.

In last December, WeRide and Uber launched their robotaxi ride-hailing partnership in Abu Dhabi — the largest commercial robotaxi service outside the United States and China. The partnership expanded in July 2025 to cover about half of Abu Dhabi's core areas, including Al Reem and Al Maryah.