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Having gone to Abu Dhabi several times for cleantech conferences, I could see that UAE leaders were very keen on futuristic tech and very keen on superlatives — the biggest, the first, the tallest, the fastest, etc. So, I knew it would be quick to deploy robotaxis. Today, the capital of the UAE is backing up my suspicions.
A partnership between ride-hailing giant Uber and robotaxi company WeRide has launched robotaxis in Abu Dhabi. The fleet, meanwhile will be managed by Tawasul Transport, “a leading UAE national transport company.”
“The launch represents the first time autonomous vehicles (AVs) are available on the Uber platform outside of the United States, as well as the largest commercial robotaxi service outside the U.S. and China.” What did I say about superlatives? There’s no beating the US and China on robotaxi deployment, but the press release was quick to put in some “first” and “largest” claims.
Uber riders using UberX or Uber Comfort may have a WeRide robotaxi pull up for them starting today. For those who are especially eager to be picked up by a robotaxi, “Uber riders in Abu Dhabi who are excited about riding in an autonomous vehicle can increase their chances of being matched with a WeRide AV by opting in via the Ride Preferences section of their Uber app under Settings,” WeRide explains.
As expected, for the time being, the robotaxis will include human “safety operators” monitoring what the vehicles do and making sure they don’t crash or get stuck somewhere. This is the norm for a robotaxi rollout. If all goes well, it shouldn’t take too long until the safety operators are left at home (planned for sometime in 2025).
“We’re thrilled to launch our partnership with WeRide, and receive the support of Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre. As we take this next step in Abu Dhabi, we are excited to build on the strength of the Uber platform, helping our partners make autonomous vehicles a part of everyday life,” says Noah Zych, Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous Mobility and Delivery Operations.
“WeRide prioritizes passenger and pedestrian safety through rigorously validated autonomous driving technology,” Jennifer Li, Chief Financial Officer and Head of International Business at WeRide, adds. “As the first publicly listed Robotaxi company, WeRide has demonstrated its commitment to safety through over 1,800 days of public operational experience, setting new benchmarks for autonomous vehicle performance.”
The announcement noted in a handful of places that safety was the top concern. I think that’s a given — any safety issues could hurt the companies, especially WeRide, and massively delay expansion.
Congratulations to WeRide, Uber, Abu Dhabi, and the UAE for this step forward in autonomous driving. I’m curious to see how the robotaxi rollout goes and how quickly it is scaled up.
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