Abu Dhabi Introduces Self-Driving Robot Taxis with Uber and WeRide

Self-driving robot taxi is now rolling in Abu Dhabi after an official launch on Uber and WeRide. People can now use Uber’s self-driving technology to order trips in specific zones, such as Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, and trips to and from Zayed International Airport.

This remarkable undertaking is observed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the deputy head of the Presidential Court for special affairs, Undoubtedly, it is yet another proof that smart mobility is in the focus of Abu Dhabi’s further development, where artificial intelligence has been successfully integrated into key industries.

How It Works

The licensed autonomous taxi service is provided by Tawasul Transport in partnership with WeRide under the supervision of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) and with the assistance from Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility). To start, these options can be set through UberX and Uber Comfort, while selecting self-driven cars can be made using settings from the Uber application.

Safety and Expansion Plans

In the first deployments, they will each be controlled by a safety operator who will guarantee safe and consistent operations. They claim to offer full autonomous services by the year 2025 to account for the further development of the system.

The pilot phase mainly concerns the testing activities, data gathering, and enhancing passengers’ conditions. Further service extension of autonomous vehicles to other zones in Abu Dhabi is already in the pipeline to reestablish the emirate’s leadership in smart and eco-friendly transport systems.

Statements from Key Leaders

• Dr. Abdulla Al Ghafli, Acting Director-General of ITC:
  “Self-driving vehicles will revolutionise sustainability and upgrade the standard of living for the residents of Abu Dhabi.”
• Badr Al-Olama, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Investment Office:
  “This launch goes to prove that the future of transportation has become a reality in Abu Dhabi today.”
• Noah Zych, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility at Uber:
  It will be interesting to integrate autonomous vehicles into day to day life in a unique manner through our cooperation with WeRide.