UAE grants first nation-level autonomous driving license to WeRide

Beijing (Gasgoo)- On July 3 local time, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced during a cabinet meeting that the UAE has approved its first autonomous driving license and awarded it to Chinese L4 autonomous driving technology company, WeRide. 

WeRide's TXAI Robotaxi; photo credit: WeRide

This marks the first national-level autonomous driving license in the Middle East and even globally. With this license, WeRide will conduct various road testing and operations of autonomous vehicles in the UAE.

It is reported that Dubai aims to have 25% of its transportation demands accomplished by autonomous vehicles by 2030. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasized that the issuance of the autonomous driving license reflects the UAE's commitment to transforming future mobility patterns.

Prior to receiving the license, WeRide's autonomous taxi, Robotaxi, had conducted over a year of public testing and operations on certain routes in the UAE. On June 29, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of Abu Dhabi announced that as part of the Eid al-Adha holiday services, visitors traveling to Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi can enjoy free rides with the Robotaxi service, including the "TXAI" model, jointly launched by WeRide and local company Bayanat.

WeRide has been actively expanding its autonomous driving products and services globally, with a focus on the Middle East region. In March of this year, WeRide officially established a presence in the China-UAE (United Arab Emirates) Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Park, forming a local team to accelerate the commercialization of autonomous driving in the UAE.