Uber’s tie-ups with the Middle East only get stronger. Previously, the Ridesharing Forum team reported Uber signing a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Abdul Latif Jameel to develop the app’s vision for the next decade together with the Middle Eastern country.
“Our collaboration with Uber reflects a shared vision for a… more accessible and autonomous mobility future. We are proud to be working with such a renowned technology leader, as we support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and position the Kingdom as a role model for the future of mobility,” stated the deputy chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel, Hassan Jameel. “Equally important is how this agreement will help empower Saudi youth through the creation of job opportunities, while contributing to the Kingdom’s long-term prosperity.”
This time, Uber has signed a memorandum with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and WeRide to progress robotaxis in the area. Robotaxis are under autonomous vehicles that do not need human drivers to run.
WeRide is your leading, commercial-stage global company that develops autonomous driving technologies from Level 2 to Level 4. In other words, it develops and deploys a range of autonomous driving solutions, including Robotaxis, Robobuses, and Robovans, as well as advanced driver-assistance systems.
The platform has expanded to 15 more cities over just during the last month. The company recently also launched robotaxis in Abu Dhabi half a year ago. They are also present in Singapore.
Jennifer Li, the head of international and the chief financial officer at WeRide, told Ridesharing Forum, “We are accelerating our international expansion, with the Middle East as a strategic priority. Last month, we expanded our partnership with Uber to roll out Robotaxis in 15 additional cities over the next five years, with cities in the Middle East under consideration, and now, formalized our collaboration with Uber and the RTA to bring autonomous vehicles to Dubai through [this memorandum].”
She also added how WeRide is fully aligned with the “ambitious vision” of the government of Dubai to make 25 percent of all transportation trips autonomous by the year 2030, adding how the company is “proud to support this goal with our advanced technology and global experience.”
Of course, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority is also delighted. Representatives from the institutions stated how this introduction of robotaxis in Dubai “represents a significant leap towards a smart and sustainable future for mobility, in line with the vision of our leadership to transform Dubai into the world’s [most intelligent] city.”
“It also supports the objectives of the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which seeks to convert 25% of all mobility journeys in the emirate into autonomous trips across various transport modes by 2030. This MoU reinforces Dubai’s global leadership in adopting advanced and sustainable transport solutions, embracing state-of-the-art technologies, and fostering innovative mobility initiatives,” RTA’s director-general Mattar Al Tayer told ridesharing media.
For Uber, this is “the future of transportation,” where vehicles of all shapes and sizes ply the road.
“At Uber, we are building the future of transportation, one we see as autonomous, electric, and shared. Today, we’re thrilled to ink our partnership with RTA to bring autonomous vehicle operations in the UAE by launching in Dubai in 2025, starting with WeRide as our first technology partner,” stated Uber’s Frans Hiemstra. “This strategic collaboration anchors our commitment to make autonomous vehicles more accessible to people around the world and we’re excited to bring this experience to thousands of riders in Dubai later this year.”