Uber and WeRide Are Bringing Robotaxis to 15 New Cities

Get ready, because the robotaxi revolution is about to hit hard and it’s coming to 15 new cities across Europe and the Middle East! Uber is teaming up with China’s autonomous driving powerhouse, WeRide, to bring fully driverless rides right to your smartphone.

Why This Partnership Matters

WeRide’s CEO, Tony Han, says working with Uber gives them the scale they need to tackle the hardest problems in self-driving tech, especially rare and tricky situations on the road that are tough to train for without tons of real-world miles.

By operating robotaxis on the Uber app across multiple continents, WeRide can prove their tech is safe. In fact, they haven’t had an accident in over 2,000 days of operation!

"WeRide is partnering with Uber to bring robotaxis to 15 cities. Its CEO says the deal will help make them safer than human drivers." Business Insider, 2025, www.businessinsider.nl/2025/05/title-of-the-article.

WeRide’s Background

Founded in 2017 and valued at $4 billion, WeRide has been part of China’s robotaxi boom and is one of the few Chinese companies working internationally. They run autonomous taxis, delivery vans, and even robo-road sweepers in 10 countries.

Uber recently invested an extra $100 million into WeRide and kicked off their partnership last year in Abu Dhabi. Now they’re planning a phased rollout of robotaxis across more cities in Europe and the Middle East.

Why Not the U.S.?

Despite having permits to test in California, WeRide won’t launch commercial services in the U.S. anytime soon. New government rules have made it tough for Chinese autonomous vehicle software companies to operate there.

Instead, WeRide is focused on Europe, the Middle East, Singapore, and possibly Japan markets where Uber already has a strong presence, which makes the tech rollout easier.

"WeRide is partnering with Uber to bring robotaxis to 15 cities. Its CEO says the deal will help make them safer than human drivers." Business Insider, 2025, www.businessinsider.nl/2025/05/title-of-the-article.

The Bigger Picture

China leads the world in autonomous vehicle innovation, helped by its massive EV market and complex, chaotic roads that create great testing conditions. Over half the cars sold in China last year had advanced driver assistance tech, far ahead of the U.S.

But the boom isn’t without hiccups. After a fatal crash involving a Xiaomi electric vehicle, Chinese authorities cracked down with new safety regulations.

WeRide stresses safety as the top priority whether it’s a robotaxi or a private car with driver assist features. Their mission is simple: make transportation safer and more reliable for everyone.