UAE – Mubasher: Uber Technologies and WeRide have teamed up with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) for autonomous vehicles (AVs), yet more details on the launch and next steps for the AVs pilot in Dubai will be announced in the coming months.
The partnership paves the way for Uber to make AVs an accessible and reliable part of everyday life in Dubai, beginning with WeRide as the first technology partner, according to a press release.
As part of the agreement, Uber and RTA will collaborate on pilot programmes, leveraging Uber’s technology to match riders with AVs while ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience.
The collaboration will further explore data insights, safety protocols, and regulatory frameworks to support a smooth transition to autonomous mobility in Dubai.
Meanwhile, WeRide became the first AV provider to secure the UAE’s national license for self-driving vehicles on public roads in July 2023. The launch in Dubai follows the successful commercial launch of WeRide AVs in Abu Dhabi on Uber in December 2024.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said: “This partnership with Uber, starting with WeRide as the technology partner, represents a crucial step in advancing Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to transform 25% of all journeys in the city into autonomous trips across various transport modes by 2030.”
Al Tayer added: “This collaboration underscores RTA’s commitment to engaging with global technology leaders and forms part of a series of autonomous mobility trials launched in 2016, which have grown in diversity over the past years.”
