Uber expects nearly 200 driverless taxis to be operating on UAE roads by the end of the year, making the Emirates a major part of its global autonomous-vehicle rollout.
The company forecasts that the UAE will account for 29% of its projected global fleet of around 700 fully driverless vehicles by December, according to the announcement. Uber expects that fleet to exceed 2,000 vehicles by the end of 2027.
Uber launched its autonomous-vehicle service in Dubai in August on a limited route between Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah. In Abu Dhabi, its platform offers services from WeRide, the China-based autonomous-driving company.
WeRide has received a UAE federal licence to operate fully driverless robotaxis, while Baidu and Pony.ai also operate driverless services through Uber’s platform, the company said.
The expansion comes as Uber faces pressure on gross bookings from the Iran conflict, with the company reporting a 75-basis-point headwind to third-quarter growth and expecting a 100-basis-point impact in the fourth quarter. Higher fuel costs, tighter labour conditions and competition for drivers have also affected service capacity in several international markets.
Source: AGBI
