Roads & Transport Authority - News Details

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER), the world’s leading technology platform for mobility and delivery, and WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD), a global leader in autonomous driving technology. Under the agreement, pilot operations of autonomous vehicles will commence later this year via Uber app in Dubai. In the initial phase, the vehicles will operate with a safety driver on board, paving the way for the full-scale commercial rollout of driverless services in 2026.

Field preparations for the pilot phase are already underway, led by Uber and WeRide, with strategic support and supervision from RTA.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), along with Mr. Madhu Kannan, Chief Business Officer at Uber, and Mr. Ryan Zhan, Regional General Manager of Middle East and Africa at WeRide attended the MoU signing ceremony. The agreement was signed for RTA by Mr. Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency, RTA; for Uber by Mr. Frans Hiemstra, Regional General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Uber; and for WeRide by Mr. Eric Dong, Director of Capital Markets and Corporate Development at WeRide, in the presence of senior officials from all parties.

Global Platform
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer expressed his pleasure at signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Uber Technologies and WeRide, praising both companies for choosing Dubai as the global hub for expanding autonomous vehicle operations.

Al Tayer stated: “The introduction of autonomous vehicles in Dubai represents a significant leap towards a smart and sustainable future for mobility, in line with the vision of our leadership to transform Dubai into the world’s smartest city. It also supports the objectives of Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which seeks to convert 25% of all mobility journeys in the emirate into autonomous trips across various transport modes by 2030.

 

This MoU reinforces Dubai’s global leadership in adopting advanced and sustainable transport solutions, embracing state-of-the-art technologies, and fostering innovative mobility initiatives.”

Dubai’s Global Leadership
Al Tayer added: “Autonomous vehicles mark a major leap towards a more sustainable and safer future in transportation. The RTA is expanding its global partnerships to deploy a wide range of autonomous mobility solutions, including self-driving vehicles, air taxis, marine transport modes, and autonomous taxis. This drive reinforces Dubai’s global leadership in autonomous mobility and elevates its position as a preferred destination for investment in smart mobility and artificial intelligence. The introduction of self-driving taxis will enhance quality of life for residents and visitors, boost road safety, and promote seamless integration across the public transport network by facilitating access to final destinations in line with the specialised First and Last-Mile Strategy.”

“Autonomous mobility is no longer a futuristic concept—it is a reality. Global companies are accelerating efforts to develop the technologies and software required for autonomous vehicles, while governments, through their respective authorities, are advancing infrastructure development and formulating the regulatory frameworks and legislation needed to enable the operation of self-driving vehicles,” Al Tayer noted.

Strategic Collaboration
Frans Hiemstra, Regional General Manager, MEA at Uber said: "At Uber, we are building the future of transportation, one we see as autonomous, electric, and shared. Today we’re thrilled to ink our partnership with RTA to expand our autonomous vehicles operations in the UAE by launching in Dubai in 2025, starting with WeRide as our first technology partner. This strategic collaboration anchors our commitment to make autonomous vehicles more accessible to people around the world and we’re excited to bring this experience to thousands of riders in Dubai later this year."  

Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International at WeRide, said: “We are accelerating our international expansion, with the Middle East as a strategic priority. Last month, we expanded our partnership with Uber to roll out Robotaxis in 15 additional cities over the next five years, with cities in the Middle East under consideration, and now, formalised our collaboration with Uber and the RTA to bring autonomous vehicles to Dubai through this MoU. We are fully aligned with Dubai Government’s ambitious vision to make 25% of all transportation trips autonomous by 2030 and are proud to support this goal with our advanced technology and global experience.”