WeRide cooperates with Uber to launch self-driving taxis

Chinese self-driving car expert WeRide launched a commercial driverless taxi service in Dubai on March 31, 2026, in partnership with Uber. The service is available in neighborhoods such as Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah and can be booked directly through the Autonomous option in the Uber app, which dispatches driverless vehicles. At the same time, in Singapore, WeRide and Grab officially launched Ai.R (short for Autonomously Intelligence Ride), which is hailed as the country’s first public autonomous driving service. This deployment in Punggol involved more than 1,000 test users after more than 30,000 kilometers of trials.

Phased, supervised rollout

In Dubai, the experience is similar to standard travel: pick-ups and drop-offs continue as normal, except that the vehicles are operating without safety operators. In Singapore, Ai.R operates on fixed routes connecting residential areas to major transport nodes in Punggol. During this initial phase, security operators remain in the vehicle with plans to move to remote monitoring. This step-by-step approach is designed to safeguard operations and familiarize passengers with the specifics of autonomous services.

WeRide plans to deploy at least 1,200 robotaxis in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, adding to its fleet of more than 200 robotaxis in the Gulf region. The increased scale is expected to improve availability, cover more journeys and validate operational robustness in different urban environments. Uber, for its part, sees self-driving cars as a multi-trillion-dollar value creation opportunity, signaling high expectations for growth and productivity. In Singapore, fixed lines are set up to meet the first and last mile needs of major hubs while meeting stringent regulatory requirements.

“The arrival of fully self-driving cars in Dubai marks an important step for autonomous vehicles globally,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of self-driving mobility and delivery. “This launch highlights our strong commitment to the United Arab Emirates and our vision for a hybrid world where drivers and autonomous vehicles coexist, creating a more resilient network. Especially during these difficult times for the region, we are proud to be a partner to the city and ensure that Uber is always there to allow people to travel with peace of mind.”

As a leader in autonomous driving technology in China, WeRide is expanding partnerships to accelerate its international influence. In Dubai, the company leverages Uber’s user base and app infrastructure; in Southeast Asia, it partners with Grab, the region’s main ride and services platform. In addition to the Gulf region and Singapore, WeRide said it holds self-driving licenses in France, Switzerland, Belgium and the United States, indicating that the regulatory foundation has been laid in multiple markets.