Press Release, 28 November 2025
In a landmark moment for autonomous mobility, WeRide and Uber have launched the Middle East’s first fully driverless robotaxi service right in Abu Dhabi. As of November 26, 2025, residents and visitors on Yas Island can hail a “driver-free” ride via Uber, making the emirate the first city outside the United States to offer such fully autonomous robotaxi rides on Uber’s platform.
The rollout was enabled by the world’s first city-level permit for fully driverless commercial operation issued outside the U.S. a regulatory milestone that underpins the UAE’s broader smart-mobility ambitions. Under the collaboration between WeRide and local fleet operator Tawasul, robotaxis operate without any human driver or safety operator onboard. Travelers can book a ride through the newly added “Autonomous” category on Uber — or simply request a ride under UberX or Uber Comfort and get matched with a self-driving car where available.
The service, now starting on Yas Island, marks the next evolution after earlier supervised robotaxi trials in 2024. WeRide already runs over 100 robotaxis across the Middle East, and this driverless debut is part of a plan to scale to thousands of vehicles in the region. The companies expect improved utilization and efficient economics to make the service commercially viable soon.
With this launch, Abu Dhabi signals a bold move towards automated, high-tech urban mobility — setting a precedent for other global cities eyeing autonomous ride-hailing systems.
Compiled using AI
