Uber and Chinese self-driving car company Willide have begun operating robotaxis without human safety operators in Dubai as part of a broader expansion in the Middle East.
Passengers can now book vehicles through the Uber app, which operates in commercial and industrial areas such as Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Investment Park Second and Jabal Ali Industrial First, as well as in suburban areas and the maritime trading hub Al Hamriya Port. The service is locally operated by UAE-based mobility and fleet operator Tawasul.
The companies first introduced robotaxis in Dubai in December under a pilot program, but they didn’t charge for the ride and still had human safety operators on board. The government’s Road Transport Authority issued permits to both companies to test self-driving cars last month.
The introduction signals the expansion of WeRide’s robotaxi business in the region and Uber’s continued involvement with the company. Uber owns a 5.82% stake in Willide, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday. Last year, the company invested $100 million in WeRide. Based on WeRide’s closing stock price on Monday, Uber’s stake is valued at about $150 million.
“Bringing fully autonomous vehicles to Dubai is an important milestone in making autonomous mobility a global reality,” Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility and delivery, said in a statement. “This launch underscores our deep commitment to the UAE and our vision for a hybrid world where drivers and AVs work in parallel to create a more resilient network. We are proud to be a partner of this city, especially during these challenging times for the region, ensuring Uber is always there to help people move seamlessly and with confidence.”
Uber increased its investment in WeRide in May 2025 as part of its commercial robotaxis partnership, with the aim of bringing the service to 15 additional cities over the next five years. The companies previously shared that the expansion would also include cities in Europe.
With this partnership, WeRide’s robotaxi service will be available through the Uber app. The relationship is similar to the deal between Uber and Waymo, where the ride-hailing company handles network routing and fleet operations, while the self-driving car company remains responsible for AV technology.
Correction on March 31, 12:15 p.m. PT: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Uber increased its stake in WeRide. A previous version of this article also incorrectly stated the value of Uber’s WeRide stock. That’s about $150 million as of Monday.
Source link
