WeRide, a China-based autonomous driving technology company, and Uber Technologies, a mobility and delivery technology platform, have announced a strategic partnership that will bring WeRide’s autonomous vehicles onto Uber’s ride-hailing platform. The companies confirmed that this new partnership will begin operating in the United Arab Emirates later this year.
At its launch, in Abu Dhabi, the partnership will see a dedicated number of WeRide vehicles be made available to consumers in the city using the Uber app. Following this initial launch period, a rider requesting a qualifying ride on the Uber app may then be presented with the option to have their trip fulfilled by a WeRide autonomous vehicle. Both companies have confirmed that, while beginning operations in the UAE, their partnership will not yet launch in the U.S. or China
In the UAE, WeRide currently operates a large robotaxi fleet – with residents able to access this fleet through the company’s dedicated service offered through the TXAI smartphone app. Its partnership with Uber follows the company being granted a national license for self-driving vehicles, the first such license issued in the UAE. With it, WeRide can now test and operate its autonomous vehicles on public roads across the entire country.
