Uber launches its first international driverless taxi service in the UAE

Uber and China's WeRide have launched the Middle East's first commercial driverless mobility service in Abu Dhabi.

Trips will first be available in areas such as Saadiyat Island and Yas Island and routes to and from Zayed International Airport. Transport company Tawasul will operate WeRide's vehicles on the Uber platform.

It will be available to Uber riders requesting UberX or Uber Comfort. For qualifying trips, riders will have the opportunity to be matched with a WeRide AV.

Each vehicle will be equipped with a human safety operator at the wheel. Uber plans to phase out safety drivers by 2025, Uber's global head of autonomous mobility and delivery operations, Noah Zych, told The National.

“We want to approach this responsibly," he said. "We want to ensure that the technology is safe, the customers are comfortable, and the regulators are comfortable with the performance of the technology. As we mature and demonstrate safe operation, we hope to remove the safety operators next year and provide fully driverless rides."

Pedestrian detection

The technology behind WeRide's autonomous vehicles is outfitted with LiDAR, technology that uses laser light to measure distances and create precise 3D maps of its surroundings, as well as radar and cameras, Mr Zych said.

These sensors work together to map the area around the vehicle, helping it detect and track pedestrians, other cars and obstacles, while ensuring it follows traffic rules and reacts to any changes in its environment.

The ability of autonomous vehicles to follow traffic laws without distractions – such as a human driver texting – is also a key safety feature. “Unlike a human driver, an autonomous vehicle is programmed to follow the rules of the road every time,” Mr Zych added.

“It won't speed, make illegal turns, or get sidetracked. It's designed to provide the safest and most efficient ride possible.”

San Francisco-based Uber said in August it will include Cruise robotaxis in its US fleet in 2025. The company has been offering driverless cars in Phoenix, Arizona, on its platform since October last year through an agreement with Alphabet's Waymo. Guangzhou-based WeRide manufactures vehicles with level-4 autonomy – one step below full autonomy, which is when a car is entirely capable of driving itself without the intervention of a human.

In July last year, WeRide became the first company to receive a preliminary national licence for self-driving cars from the UAE Cabinet. At that time, the company announced plans to begin testing various autonomous vehicles on UAE roads, including robotaxis, robobuses, robovans, and robosweepers.

Later that month, WeRide revealed its ambition to rapidly expand its operations in the UAE, with plans to introduce hundreds of vehicles by 2025.

Samir Imran, partner and head of cities of the future practice at Arthur D Little, highlighted the advantage of machines in ensuring road safety. “Machines obey orders,” he told The National. This characteristic, he said, helps reduce human error, which is a common cause of accidents.

Mr Zych also emphasised that the technology is continuously evolving, with the vehicles learning to safely navigate complex road scenarios, such as tracking moving pedestrians or avoiding sudden obstacles including animals crossing the road.

Liability and regulations

Mr Zych reassured passengers that the autonomous vehicles strictly adhere to all traffic rules, alleviating any concerns about potential legal issues.

“It will always follow the speed limits and passengers don't have to worry about phone violations. You can sit back, use your phone, and the car will handle the driving,” he added.

Mr Imran explained that liability in case of an accident is a complex issue that varies by jurisdiction, citing that in the UAE, the responsibility would likely be shared between the municipality, transport authorities and the AV manufacturers.

“Each region handles these cases differently based on its legal framework and regulations,” he said. He also noted that the level of autonomy involved in the accident could affect who is held responsible. “In many situations, liability may not rest solely on one party,” he added.

Expanding beyond UAE

Mr Zych said the company views the launch in Abu Dhabi as the first step in a broader strategy to roll out autonomous vehicles across the UAE and the wider region. “We view this as the starting point. We're excited to start here in the region, in the UAE, and in Abu Dhabi, but expand beyond there,” he said.

Abu Dhabi already has a small fleet of driverless taxis operating on Yas Island, managed by TXAI, the UAE's first autonomous taxi service. During the 2022 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, TXAI also ran a driverless bus service for race fans.

The global autonomous vehicle market is expected to reach more than $13.6 trillion by 2030, up from an estimated $1.92 trillion last year, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 32.3 per cent, according to data from Fortune Business Insights.