WeRide and Uber Technologies have announced plans to launch commercial robotaxi services in the Greater Zurich region, marking their second joint deployment in Europe within weeks of announcing Madrid.
Operations are expected to begin later this year in collaboration with Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). Rides will be available via the Uber app during launch, subject to regulatory approval.
Switzerland combines one of Europe’s most advanced regulatory environments for autonomous driving with a high-value ride hailing market. The WeRide-Uber fleet will scale progressively and in coordination with the authorities as performance milestones are met, including the transition to fully driverless commercial services in core urban areas.
“Europe is a priority region for WeRide, and announcing two European markets in two weeks reflects the speed and efficiency of our expansion strategy. Zurich’s status as a global business center and premium mobility market makes it an attractive city for robotaxi commercialization as we scale autonomous mobility with Uber worldwide,” said Jennifer Li, CFO and head of international at WeRide.
The deployment reflects WeRide’s asset-light operating strategy, leveraging established partners providing fleet investment and platform support to achieve scaled robotaxi commercialization. In Zurich, Rydera, a local mobility and logistics operator, will manage day-to-day fleet operations.
Last November, WeRide’s robotaxi secured a driverless permit from FEDRO, enabling autonomous operations on public roads in Zurich’s Furttal region. Powered by the WeRide One universal technology platform and WeRide Genesis general-purpose simulation platform, WeRide will apply operational experience from existing deployments to accelerate rollout and ensure consistent performance in Zurich.
“Switzerland is a key market for autonomous mobility, combining forward-thinking regulation with a demand for high-quality ride hailing solutions. Our partnership with WeRide continues to gain momentum across Europe, and we are excited to apply our operational expertise to bring this next generation of autonomous rides to Zurich,” added Sarfraz Maredia, global head of autonomous mobility and delivery at Uber.
In related news, From supplier to operator: Mobileye launches robotaxi ambitions