WeRide has secured a self-driving vehicle trial permit from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to conduct robotaxi trials in the city.
The company has also won first place at the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport, securing almost US$1m in prize money for its leading tech competence and ongoing contributions to Dubai’s autonomous driving ecosystem.
WeRide‘s initial robotaxi GXR trial service will cover Jumeirah’s key commercial districts and the residential communities of Za’abeel First, Al Manara, Umm Suqeim and Al Safa. Future operations will extend to Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai International Airport and additional downtown areas.
The rollout starts with 50 robotaxi GXRs in Dubai, with plans to expand the Middle East fleet to 1,000 vehicles and ultimately deploy tens of thousands of robotaxis by 2030. With this permit, Dubai becomes the 11th city worldwide and the second in the UAE to deploy WeRide robotaxis.
Earlier this year, WeRide obtained its first batch of Dubai road test licenses and has already begun testing in the city’s core areas. In the next phase, WeRide says it will begin trials on the Uber platform within the year, with a safety officer on board. Fully driverless commercial operations are planned for 2026.
WeRide has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RTA, outlining collaboration on the Dubai Autonomous Zone. The agreement reinforces the company’s commitment to supporting Dubai’s transformation into a global innovation hub for autonomous technology across passenger transportation, logistics and urban mobility.
In related news, Belgium issues first Level 4 test permit for WeRide Robobus public trials