Dubai's first fleet of completely driverless Robotaxis hits the road! Voyage, in partnership with Uber, expands the driverless operations in the Middle East.

On March 31, WeRide (WRD.US, 00800), a global leading autonomous driving technology company, and international travel service giant Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER.US) announced the official launch of commercial operations of pure driverless Robotaxi in Dubai. This makes them the first public operating fleet of pure driverless Robotaxi in Dubai. This development signifies the further deepening of the partnership between the two companies in autonomous driving, and will help Dubai achieve its strategic goal of achieving 25% automated travel by 2030. Currently, WeRide is the only company outside the United States to offer pure driverless Robotaxi services on the Uber platform. With the support of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), WeRide's pure driverless Robotaxi commercial operation services have first launched in the popular coastal tourist areas of Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim in Dubai. Passengers can easily call these services through the "Autonomous" category on the Uber app. Leading fleet operator in the UAE, Tawasul, will operate WeRide's Robotaxi service on the Uber platform, providing fleet management services. Prior to this, WeRide had already started public operations of Robotaxi in Dubai in December 2025, and in February 2026, they received a license from the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority to operate pure driverless vehicles in Dubai. Specific areas where the Robotaxi will operate include: - Commercial and industrial core areas: Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Investment Park Second, Jabal Ali Industrial First - Suburban residential areas: Nad Al Sheba, Wadi Al Safa, Warsan, Ras Al Khor - Sea trade Hub Group, Inc. Class A: Al Hamriya Port These areas are the busiest hubs for transportation, logistics, and business activities in Dubai. With the guidance of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, WeRide will gradually expand its service coverage to provide autonomous driving services to more communities. This not only marks an important step in the UAE's smart transportation development plan but also further deepens the long-term cooperation between WeRide and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, pushing the company closer to its goal of deploying tens of thousands of Robotaxi globally by 2030. Dr. Han Xu, founder and CEO of WeRide, said, "WeRide is committed to long-term operations in Dubai and continues to expand the local fleet size. In challenging times, we are committed to stable operations and quality services to ensure that Robotaxi continues to provide safe and reliable travel experiences for citizens. This milestone demonstrates WeRide's leading technology, strong support from partners, and the full trust given by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority in terms of regulations, also marking Dubai as one of the earliest cities globally to achieve commercial operation of level 4 pure driverless Robotaxi." Sarfraz Maredia, Uber's Global Head of Autonomous Driving and Delivery, said, "Introducing pure driverless vehicles in Dubai is an important milestone in promoting autonomous driving globally. This landing demonstrates our firm commitment to the UAE market and our future vision of 'coexistence of human driving and autonomous driving,' jointly building a more efficient travel network. Especially in the current context of regional challenges, we are honored to be partners in this city to ensure that Uber can help people travel smoothly and safely." On March 30, Uber disclosed through public documents that it holds approximately 5.82% of WeRide's Class A common stock. As a global leading travel platform, Uber's continued increase in holdings further demonstrates its high recognition of WeRide's leading technology, global commercial capabilities, and long-term strategic coordination value, also reaffirming WeRide's core leadership position in the global Robotaxi ecosystem. As early as 2023, WeRide obtained the UAE's first national-level autonomous driving license, allowing it to test and operate various autonomous vehicles on public roads throughout the country in compliance with the approval requirements of each emirate. In November 2025, WeRide's Robotaxi started pure driverless commercial operations in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first pure driverless Robotaxi service in the Middle East. In February 2026, WeRide and Uber pledged to deploy at least 1,200 Robotaxi in the Middle East, covering the three core markets of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. Currently, WeRide's Robotaxi fleet in the Middle East exceeds 200 vehicles, and the company's subsidiary in the Middle East has already achieved profitable operations.