Uber Technologies and autonomous‑mobility partner WeRide announced a joint plan to deploy at least 1,200 driverless robotaxis in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh, with the fleet expected to be available through the Uber app by 2027. The expansion builds on WeRide’s existing permits and Uber’s platform reach, positioning the two firms to capture a growing demand for autonomous urban mobility in the Gulf region.
The 1,200‑vehicle commitment is the largest commercial robotaxi deployment announced in the MENA region to date. It expands WeRide’s current fleet of more than 200 robotaxis, which already operate in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh. In Abu Dhabi, the service is on track to achieve breakeven unit economics, a milestone that underpins the confidence in scaling the technology to additional cities. Uber’s asset‑light model will allow the partnership to grow the fleet without the capital intensity of owning vehicles, while WeRide supplies the L2‑L4 autonomous driving stack that powers the vehicles.
WeRide’s strategy is to deploy robotaxi services in 15 new international cities over five years, with the Middle East expansion accelerating that timeline. The Gulf’s proactive regulatory environment—backed by initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030 and Dubai’s goal of 25% autonomous transportation by 2030—provides a favorable backdrop for the rollout. Competition in the region includes Baidu’s Apollo Go, Pony AI and Mercedes‑Benz’s Momenta partnership, but WeRide’s early entry and proven unit economics give it a competitive edge.
Management emphasized the significance of the expansion. Dr. Tony Han, founder and CEO of WeRide, said the announcement “marks the largest Robotaxi commercial commitment in the MENA region” and that it “accelerates our regional expansion and is a key part of our vision of tens of thousands of Robotaxis globally in the next five years.” Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery, added that the partnership “is a testament to the strong performance of our existing deployments together, and we look forward to building on that momentum.”
Investor sentiment around the announcement has been strongly positive. Sentiment around WeRide shares was bullish, while sentiment around Uber shares was described as extremely bullish, reflecting confidence that the partnership will drive future growth in autonomous mobility and reinforce Uber’s strategy to augment, rather than replace, its core ride‑hailing services.
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