China-based autonomous driving technology company WeRide has partnered United States-based mobility and delivery technology platform Uber Technologies, Inc. to bring WeRide’s autonomous vehicles onto the Uber platform, beginning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The duo said in a joint statement on Wednesday that the partnership is expected to launch first in Abu Dhabi later this year.

A dedicated number of WeRide vehicles will be made available to consumers using the Uber app.

After launch, when a rider requests a qualifying ride on the Uber app, they may be presented with the option to have their trip fulfilled by a WeRide autonomous vehicle.

The partnership does not contemplate any launches in the United States or China.

WeRide currently operates the largest robotaxi fleet in the UAE, where residents can access its robotaxi services through the TXAI app.

In addition, in July 2023, WeRide was granted the UAE’s first and only national license for self-driving vehicles, enabling it to test and operate its autonomous vehicles on public roads across the entire country.

“We are honored to partner with Uber to continue to bring our technology to global markets,

“Together, we aim to combine our collective experience and expertise to deliver much needed, affordable, sustainable and safe mobility solutions to a global audience,” said Tony Han, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WeRide.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Chief Executive Officer of Uber, said it’s clear that the future of mobility will be increasingly shared, electric, and autonomous, and they look forward to working with leading AV companies like WeRide to help bring the benefits of autonomous technology to cities around the world.

Empowered by the smart, versatile, cost-effective and highly adaptable WeRide One platform, WeRide provides autonomous driving products and services, addressing the vast majority of transportation needs across the widest range of use cases on the open road, including in the mobility, logistics, and sanitation industries.

Since its founding in 2009, Uber has grown from a start-up that operated exclusively in San Francisco into a global company.

It has expanded its services to include food delivery, package delivery, freight transportation, and more.

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