Uber, Chinese self-driving tech startup announce partnership to launch robotaxis in UAE

(Reuters) - Uber Technologies and WeRide announced a partnership on Wednesday to bring the Chinese self-driving technology firm's vehicles to the rideshare platform, starting in the United Arab Emirates.

WeRide's first collaboration with a global ride-hailing platform will help the company expand its reach beyond China, while Uber takes another towards incorporating robotaxis into its platform.

Uber expanded its partnership with Alphabet's Waymo to bring robotaxis to Austin and Atlanta in the United States earlier this month.

In August, Uber tied up with General Motors' robotaxi unit Cruise, which will offer its autonomous vehicles on the platform starting next year.

The ride-hailing firm's partnership with WeRide is set to launch in Abu Dhabi later this year.

WeRide was granted UAE's first and only national license for self-driving vehicles, which allows the Chinese firm to test and operate robotaxis on public roads throughout the country.

WeRide was expected to list its shares in the United States, valuing the firm up to $5 billion, but its initial public offering has been delayed and the firm said it was working to complete documentation to go ahead with the listing.

The Biden administration on Monday proposed prohibitions that would prevent testing of self-driving cars on U.S. roads by Chinese automakers and which would extend to vehicle software and hardware produced by other U.S. foreign adversaries, including Russia.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)

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