WeRide Inc. and Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) announced a partnership to deploy 1,200 Robotaxis across the Middle East, making it one of the largest commercial autonomous mobility rollouts in the region. The deployment will cover Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh with completion expected by 2027.

All 1,200 Robotaxis will be accessible through the Uber app in the three markets. Uber plans to scale the fleet progressively, committing to additional vehicles as regulatory approvals and performance milestones are met, including expanding fully driverless commercial coverage in core urban areas.

WeRide’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Tony Han, stated that this commitment accelerates regional expansion, aiming for tens of thousands of Robotaxis globally in the next five years. Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery, Sarfraz Maredia, expressed excitement for the expansion and building on existing deployments in the Middle East.

The expanded deployment builds on the companies’ prior agreement for operations in 15 cities by 2030. WeRide’s asset-light model sees Uber or local partners handling fleet operations. With over 200 Robotaxis currently in operation, the service in Abu Dhabi is close to reaching breakeven unit economics, demonstrating the commercial viability of autonomous mobility in the Middle East.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: WeRide, Uber To Deploy 1,200 Robotaxis In The Middle East