Uber Technologies and WeRide have begun offering driverless trips on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, marking their first fully autonomous service in the United Arab Emirates. The launch comes nearly a year after the companies introduced rides with safety operators on board.

Riders using UberX or Uber Comfort may now be matched with a driverless WeRide vehicle within a 12-square-mile zone on the island. A new Autonomous option in the Uber app offers a similar fare to Uber Comfort and raises the likelihood of securing a robotaxi.

Highway trips, airport rides and routes across other islands in the UAE capital will continue to use vehicles staffed with safety operators. That broader service covers an area of about 30 square miles and will remain part of the network while the companies expand their driverless operations.

Uber and WeRide began operating in Abu Dhabi in December 2024 with human overseers inside each vehicle. Both companies said they plan to widen the fully autonomous service area in the city and expect to bring the partnership to Dubai.

The two firms agreed in May to roll out services in 15 additional cities outside the US and China over the next few years. That expansion includes recent operations with safety drivers in Riyadh. In the US, Uber already offers driverless rides through its partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo in Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta.

Uber sold its internal self-driving division in 2020 but has since invested heavily in autonomous-vehicle developers, including WeRide. The company has secured more than 20 partnerships as it aims to support transport options operated by both human drivers and robotaxis. Uber said dozens of WeRide vehicles are currently active under its management in Abu Dhabi, with fleet growth planned.

The company has told investors that widespread adoption of autonomous technology will take time, noting the small scale of current deployments compared with traditional ride-hailing fleets.

WeRide, listed in the US and Hong Kong, reported a third-quarter net loss of 307 million yuan. The result narrowed from a 1.04 billion-yuan deficit a year earlier. The company holds autonomous-driving permits in eight countries.