Uber is set to strengthen its collaboration with Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide, with plans to expand their robotaxi service to an additional 15 cities over the next five years. This announcement follows the launch of their commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi five months ago.
In a recent regulatory filing, Uber disclosed it will invest an additional $100 million in WeRide, which is expected to materialise by the latter half of 2025. The partnered expansion will see robotaxi services offered through the Uber app and will predominantly target cities outside of the US and China, including various locations across Europe. This arrangement is akin to Uber’s existing partnership with Waymo, which allows Uber to manage network routing and fleet operations, while Waymo focuses on the autonomous vehicle technology.
Currently, both companies operate in Abu Dhabi and are in the process of launching services in Dubai, collaborating with local firm Tawasul Transport for fleet management. Over the past two years, Uber has established over 15 partnerships with various autonomous vehicle technology firms across a spectrum of sectors including ride-hailing, delivery, and transportation. Recent deals include collaborations with May Mobility from Ann Arbor, Volkswagen, and the Chinese firm Momenta. In the US, Uber’s most notable partnership—operating commercially—is with Waymo, where they have introduced a Waymo service via the Uber app in Austin, with plans to extend this to Atlanta shortly.
This marks a significant step for Uber, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing its presence in the autonomous vehicle market, while WeRide continues to position itself as an important player in the global robotic taxi landscape.
Fanpage: TechArena.au
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