WeRide is deepening its commitment to Abu Dhabi as the emirate accelerates its push into autonomous mobility. The Chinese autonomous driving company has secured federal approval from the UAE to run fully driverless robotaxi services in the capital, while showcasing its technology during the Abu Dhabi Autonomous event. Together, these developments position Abu Dhabi as one of the first cities globally to host large scale Level 4 autonomous ride hailing without in car safety operators.
WeRide Showcases Robotaxi and Robobus in Abu Dhabi
At Abu Dhabi Autonomous, WeRide presented its latest autonomous vehicles, including its robotaxi and robobus, to policymakers and industry leaders. Founder and CEO Dr Tony Han joined His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, to review the company’s display and discuss the city’s ambitions. The high profile engagement underscored Abu Dhabi’s intention to use autonomous mobility as a pillar of its broader innovation and smart city agenda.
Federal Approval for Fully Driverless Operations
In October, the UAE’s Regulations Lab under the Cabinet Secretariat granted WeRide approval to operate fully driverless robotaxis in Abu Dhabi. The license authorizes city level commercial services at Level 4 autonomy, permitting vehicles to run without human safety operators on board in designated areas and conditions. WeRide describes the authorization as the first city level commercial Level 4 license issued outside the United States, marking a significant regulatory milestone for both the company and the UAE.
Scaling Commercial Robotaxi Services with Uber and TXAI
WeRide has been active in Abu Dhabi since 2021 through a partnership with local operator TXAI, gradually expanding its service footprint and operating experience. In December 2024, it launched a robotaxi ride hailing integration with Uber in Abu Dhabi, which the company says has created the largest commercial robotaxi service outside China and the United States. Across these operations, WeRide reports that its Abu Dhabi fleet has already accumulated close to one million kilometers of road mileage, giving regulators and partners substantial performance and safety data.
Ecosystem, Partnerships, and Competitive Landscape
During the panel “From Vision to Impact: Accelerating Abu Dhabi’s Innovation Ecosystem,” Dr Han joined Abu Dhabi Investment Office Director General His Excellency Badr Al Olama and Abu Dhabi Airports Managing Director and CEO Elena Sorlini. He highlighted that a supportive ecosystem, including proactive regulators such as Abu Dhabi Mobility and the Integrated Transport Centre, is essential for large scale autonomous vehicle deployment. WeRide credits Abu Dhabi Mobility, Uber, TXAI, and Farizon Auto UAE as core partners whose collaboration has enabled rapid progress from pilot testing to commercial readiness.
Safety Validation and Growing Chinese AV Presence in the UAE
Since the second quarter of 2025, WeRide has been running fully driverless tests in Abu Dhabi under close oversight from the Integrated Transport Centre. These trials have focused on validating system reliability and meeting stringent safety and regulatory benchmarks before full commercial rollout. The UAE approval comes as Geely backed CaoCao Mobility partners with Abu Dhabi Investment Office to explore autonomous taxi deployments, joining WeRide, Baidu’s Apollo Go, and Pony.ai as part of a growing cohort of Chinese robotaxi players in the Emirates.
WeRide’s new federal license, combined with its partnerships with Uber, TXAI, and Abu Dhabi Mobility, shifts its Abu Dhabi operations from experimental to scaled commercial territory. By removing in vehicle safety operators, the company expects improved unit economics and a clearer path to breakeven on each vehicle, while Abu Dhabi strengthens its position as a global testbed for advanced mobility. If ongoing driverless trials continue to meet safety and performance thresholds, the emirate is set to host one of the world’s most mature autonomous ride hailing ecosystems.