GUANGZHOU, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Uber and Chinese tech company WeRide on Thursday announced the launch of the first Robotaxi commercial operation service in downtown Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Supported by Abu Dhabi's Integrated Transport Center, the service is now available across the city's major landmarks, covering about 70 percent of Abu Dhabi's core areas.

Passengers traveling within designated regions can order autopilot taxis through Uber Comfort or UberX, or book them directly under the "Autonomous" category on the Uber app. At present, a safety operator is present in each vehicle, with a phased transition to fully driverless operations to follow.

The expansion of the autopilot service spotlights the rapid rollout of the partnership between WeRide and Uber in the UAE, supporting the country's smart mobility vision, WeRide said.

The two companies plan to scale up their Robotaxi fleet in the Middle East to at least 1,200 vehicles by as early as 2027, with operations to span major cities such as Dubai and Riyadh, in addition to Abu Dhabi, according to a cooperation roadmap agreed in February 2026.

Founded in 2017, WeRide is a Chinese tech firm dedicated to autonomous driving research, offering autopilot Robotaxis and Robobuses, as well as advanced driver-assistance solutions. The company has carried out autonomous driving research and development, testing and operation in over 40 cities across 11 countries.

To date, it has deployed more than 200 Robotaxis across the Middle East. ■