After two weeks of private trials, driverless robotaxi services were launched in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The UAE capital is the first city outside the US to host fully driverless taxis operated by Uber Technologies and WeRide.

Autonomous vehicles achieving Level 4 or high automation promise hands-free driving in approved zones. This means the self-driving cars can handle all driving tasks and respond to situations within a limited geographical area, such as a specific city or route, without human intervention.

A human driver is not required, but the vehicle must have a safety protocol to pull over, and the option to manually take over the vehicle must be available.

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WeRide said:“Public commercial operations commenced today (November 26) without a vehicle specialist inside the AV, starting with Yas Island.

“Passengers can now be matched with a WeRide Robotaxi through Uber Comfort or UberX, and can also book a WeRide Robotaxi through the new“Autonomous” category, Uber's first dedicated autonomous ride option globally,” the company added.

WeRide's robotaxi secured a federal permit to conduct fully driverless robotaxi commercial operations last month.

In December last year, WeRide and Uber launched their robotaxi ride-hailing partnership in Abu Dhabi - the largest commercial robotaxi service outside the US and China. The partnership expanded in July 2025 to cover about half of Abu Dhabi's core areas, including Al Reem and Al Maryah.

By the end of 2025, WeRide and Uber plan to extend services to cover additional areas in Abu Dhabi city's core. WeRide currently has over 100 Robotaxis in the Middle East.

WeRide maintains a four-year first mover advantage in autonomous vehicle deployment in Abu Dhabi, having operated robotaxis in Abu Dhabi since 2021. In 2023, it became the first company in the UAE to receive a national license covering all types of self-driving vehicles, authorizing autonomous testing and operation on public roads across the country, subject to emirate-level approvals.

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