ABU DHABI — Uber on Wednesday rolled out fully driverless rides in Abu Dhabi, marking its fourth market for autonomous vehicles and the first robotaxi service in the Middle East.
The ride-hailing giant partnered with Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide to deploy the service in select areas of Yas Island. Riders can book a WeRide robotaxi when requesting UberX or Uber Comfort trips, the company said.
Uber already offers robotaxi services in Austin, Phoenix and Atlanta through Alphabet’s Waymo. The Abu Dhabi launch follows Uber and WeRide’s earlier rollout of autonomous rides with safety operators in Riyadh last October and in Abu Dhabi last December.
WeRide, listed on the Nasdaq, has also introduced fully driverless robotaxi services in Beijing and Guangzhou. Uber said in May it plans to expand the partnership to 15 more cities, including in Europe, over the next five years.
The company has accelerated its bet on autonomous technology, striking deals with electric vehicle maker Lucid and AV startup Nuro earlier this year. Competitors are also moving quickly: Lyft announced a partnership with Waymo in September to launch robotaxis in Nashville in 2026.
Uber did not disclose how revenue from robotaxi rides will be shared with partners. Riders in Abu Dhabi can increase their chances of securing a robotaxi by selecting the autonomous option, with on-board support available via the Uber app and an in-vehicle tablet.