WeRide has been granted a permit to conduct fully driverless robotaxi commercial operations in Abu Dhabi. The company states that it is one of the first to receive a city-level commercial permit for Level 4 autonomous driving issued outside the USA, and the first international company to achieve this milestone in the UAE.
The permit, granted on October 31, 2025, authorizes WeRide’s robotaxis to operate commercially without an onboard safety driver. Commercial operations will start on the Uber and TXAI platforms in Abu Dhabi, with further details to be communicated soon.
WeRide’s permit application received the necessary approvals following a thorough evaluation process, according to the company. In July 2023, it was granted the UAE’s first national license for all types of self-driving vehicles, authorizing autonomous testing and operation on public roads across the country, subject to emirate-level approvals.
Under the guidance of relevant authorities, WeRide completed a rigorous testing process that led to the approval for fully driverless commercial operations. The clear standards and collaborative approach helped ensure that operations complied with local regulations, with the approval demonstrating the government’s confidence in WeRide’s autonomous driving technology.
WeRide has been operating robotaxis with TXAI in Abu Dhabi since 2021. In December 2024, WeRide and Uber launched their robotaxi ride hailing partnership in Abu Dhabi — the largest commercial robotaxi service outside the USA and China. The partnership expanded in July 2025 to cover about half of Abu Dhabi’s core areas, including Al Reem and Al Maryah. Together with its partners, WeRide plans to extend services to cover most of Abu Dhabi city core by the end of 2025.
As of October 2025, WeRide says its robotaxis had accumulated close to 1,000,000km in Abu Dhabi. The latest permit removes the requirement for an in-vehicle safety officer, enabling WeRide robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi to achieve financial breakeven on unit economics.
Since Q2 2025, WeRide has been conducting fully driverless robotaxi testing in Abu Dhabi to validate reliability ahead of commercial deployment, working closely with the ITC through a rigorous safety and regulatory approval process.
This milestone supports WeRide’s broader plan to expand its Middle East fleet to 1,000 robotaxis by 2026, and ultimately deploy tens of thousands of robotaxis by 2030.
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