The robotaxi business may still be in its early days — available only in a handful of cities worldwide — but competition for market share is already fierce.
Being first to market can pay off big, and now autonomous driving companies are scrambling to secure their own head start in every market. One of them is Uber (UBER), which is quietly becoming a heavyweight in a region far from home.
Chinese startup WeRide (WRD) announced Tuesday that its partnership with Uber in Abu Dhabi has expanded to cover roughly half the UAE capital. The pair, which launched service there in 2024, now operates the largest robotaxi network in the Middle East.
The latest rollout is expected to double ride volumes across Abu Dhabi’s core districts.
Through Uber’s app, riders can now hail WeRide’s GXR robotaxis in high-demand areas like Al Reem and Al Maryah Islands, as well as Yas, Saadiyat, and routes to and from Zayed International Airport.
Each vehicle is projected to handle dozens of trips per day during 12-hour shifts, with rides averaging over six kilometers.
“Al Reem and Al Maryah Islands are high-demand areas and serve as key gateways to Abu Dhabi,” WeRide CEO Jennifer Li said.
“This expansion gives us the opportunity to reach more passengers, showcase our advanced technology in complex urban settings, and further accelerate the deployment of autonomous vehicles across the city.”
“Just as Uber helped millions experience electric vehicles for the first time, 2025 will be the year we bring AV technology into the mainstream,” said Uber’s Middle East autonomous mobility chief Mohamad Jardaneh
The Abu Dhabi launch marked the first time Uber offered AV rides outside the U.S. Since then, Uber and WeRide expanded to Dubai in April, where local regulators aim to make 25% of city rides autonomous by 2030.
Back home, the fight gets tougher
Despite its Middle Eastern growth, Uber’s U.S. robotaxi footprint remains limited to a Waymo partnership in Atlanta and Austin.
The company is reportedly exploring a deal to acquire the U.S. arm of Chinese AV startup Pony.ai (PONY), with discussions involving ousted co-founder Travis Kalanick as a potential backer.
Meanwhile, Waymo is accelerating on its own.
The Alphabet (GOOGL)-backed firm announced Tuesday that it will bring its robotaxi service to Dallas next year through a multi-year partnership with Avis Budget Group (CAR). That expansion will make Dallas Waymo’s sixth U.S. city, with Miami and Washington, D.C. on deck.
However, investors weren’t impressed with Uber’s positioning. The stock slipped 3.9% Tuesday but remains up 44.4% year-to-date. WeRide shares are down 28.2% for 2025.
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