Uber and WeRide Introduces true driverless taxi service in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi peoples are all set to experience the driverless taxi service experience. The ride-sharing giant Uber and the autonomous vehicle specialist WeRide officially started offering fully driverless robotaxi rides to the public in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

As for the latest information, customers can now hail a car through the Uber app and climb into an EV with no one in the driver’s seat – no safety operator, no human supervision at all.

For those who really want to try the latest technology, there is even a dedicated “Autonomous” option in the app to boost the chances of getting a truly driverless experience.

These special self-driving electric cars are now driving around city streets. Many people said this would never happen, but now these cars are a normal part of modern cities.

Getting these cars on the road without drivers took a long time. The companies announced they would work together in September 2024. Three months later, they started giving rides in Abu Dhabi, but a safety person was always in the car. These test rides helped them collect information and make sure everything worked properly.

Running a fleet of self-driving electric cars takes a lot of work. Uber handles the main operations and helps riders with any problems, from when they book a ride until they get dropped off. WeRide focuses on testing and improving the self-driving technology.

Keeping a large group of electric cars running takes a lot of maintenance. A company called Tawasul Transport helps with this work. They clean the cars, check them regularly, manage the parking areas, and most importantly, charge the electric taxis so they can run all day and night.

Starting in the Middle East is just the beginning of a bigger plan. Uber and WeRide have already said they will expand beyond Abu Dhabi. Their next stop is Dubai.

The two companies plan to launch fully self-driving taxis in 15 more cities over the next five years. This will include several major cities in Europe, so these electric self-driving cars could be coming to your city soon.

Having robotaxis in the Middle East is a big deal for the car industry. It shows that self-driving electric car technology is safe and reliable enough to use in everyday life, not just for testing.