Autonomous taxis are available in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, two of Dubai’s most prominent areas located near public beaches. A driver is still present during pilot stage of autonomous taxi operation
round 1,200 Robotaxis will be deployed in the Middle East, Guangzhou-based autonomous driving technology company WeRide announced on Friday. The rollout of self-driving cabs will span Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh. It is expected to be completed as soon as 2027.
“The Robotaxis will be available through the Uber app in the three markets, following existing fully driverless commercial Robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi and passenger operations in Dubai and Riyadh,” WeRide said in a statement shared with Khaleej Times.
WeRide currently has more than 200 Robotaxis in the region. “The fleet will be scaled up progressively, with Uber committed to adding more Robotaxis as key regulatory approvals and performance milestones are met, including the launch of fully driverless commercial operations covering the core areas of each city. Today’s announcement marks the largest Robotaxi commercial commitment in the Mena region,” the company added.
In December last year, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the availability of WeRide’s robotaxis on the Uber app.
The self-driving taxis are currently available in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, two of Dubai’s most prominent areas located near public beaches.
There is still a driver, however, during the pilot stage of the autonomous taxi operation. “The (WeRide) service is currently operating with a specialist driver on board to ensure a safe and reliable experience, paving the way for a fully driverless service in early 2026,” noted Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency.
He added the launch of the pilot self-driving taxi supports Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy to convert 25 per cent of journeys across the emirate to autonomous modes by 2030.
