Uber and WeRide’s robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi is officially driverless

A year after launching a robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide and Uber have officially transitioned to fully driverless operations, eliminating the need for a human safety operator. The commercial service is now open to the public, initially operating on Yas Island, a key tourist area that includes the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Formula 1 circuit. Riders using Uber Comfort or UberX in Abu Dhabi may be matched with a WeRide robotaxi, and there is an “Autonomous” option in the Uber app to increase the likelihood of receiving a fully autonomous vehicle. This launch follows WeRide’s recent acquisition of a federal permit from the UAE for fully driverless commercial robotaxi operations and involves collaboration with fleet operator Tawasul. Plans are underway to expand the driverless service to additional parts of Abu Dhabi’s city center. This deployment marks a significant milestone as the first fully autonomous vehicle (AV) service outside the U.S. and China, according to Uber’s head of autonomous mobility, Sar