Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide has received official approval from the UAE federal government to operate fully driverless Robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi. The milestone follows the company’s debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This will help in strengthening its position as a global leader in autonomous mobility.
A First for the Middle East
WeRide’s new licence, issued by the UAE’s Regulations Lab under the Cabinet Secretariat, marks the first city-level commercial licence for Level 4 autonomous driving outside the United States. Level 4 autonomy enables vehicles to function without human drivers under most conditions. This showcases a major step forward for the UAE’s smart mobility agenda.
The approval allows WeRide to launch Robotaxi services without on-board safety operators. This alone makes Abu Dhabi the first city in the region to authorize fully autonomous ride-hailing.
Building on Years of Testing and Collaboration
WeRide has been testing its autonomous vehicles in Abu Dhabi since 2021. It began with its partnership with TXAI, the region’s first autonomous taxi platform.
Key milestones include:
- 2021: Launch of pilot testing with TXAI in Abu Dhabi.
- 2024: Expansion through a partnership with Uber, forming one of the largest commercial Robotaxi fleets outside China and the US.
- 2025: Over one million kilometres of test driving completed in Abu Dhabi.
Since early 2025, WeRide has conducted fully driverless trials in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Integrated Transport Centre. It is ensuring compliance with strict safety and regulatory standards.
The upcoming commercial rollout will initially operate through Uber and TXAI, with route details to be announced soon.
Economic and Strategic Impact
Removing safety operators is expected to improve operational efficiency and help WeRide reach per-vehicle break-even economics. The move aligns with Abu Dhabi’s broader efforts to become a regional hub for AI-driven mobility, innovation, and sustainable transportation.
The company’s approval also coincides with the entry of other major players, including Geely-backed CaoCao Mobility, which recently partnered with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to explore autonomous taxi operations. Together with Baidu’s Apollo Go and Pony.ai, these developments signal that the UAE is emerging as a key global testbed for autonomous vehicle deployment.
Strengthening Global Expansion
WeRide’s approval follows its dual primary listing on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) under ticker 0800.HK, where it raised HKD 2.39 billion through the sale of 88.25 million shares. This makes WeRide the first autonomous driving technology firm to be listed on both the Hong Kong and US markets.
Dr. Tony Han, WeRide’s Founder and CEO, called the listing “a new beginning” for the company. He emphasized that WeRide’s growth marks a shift from pilot testing toward global commercial deployment, reflecting the maturity of China’s autonomous vehicle industry.