WeRide’s Robotaxis Hit the Streets of Riyadh, Marking a First for Saudi Arabia

Autonomous driving rolls into the Kingdom as WeRide partners with Uber to launch the country’s first robotaxi trial, with eyes on full-scale rollout

Saudi Arabia’s streets are about to get a lot more silent—at least inside the car. WeRide, the China-based autonomous driving company, just scored a major milestone: the first-ever permit to operate robotaxis in the kingdom. And the wheels are already turning.

The company’s pilot program launched this week in Riyadh, backed by ride-hailing giant Uber and AI mobility firm Ai Driver. By the end of this year, they’re aiming to shift into high gear—rolling out a full-scale commercial robotaxi network in one of the Middle East’s most ambitious and car-centric capitals.

The First of Its Kind in Saudi Arabia

No other company—not Tesla, not Waymo, not even local upstarts—has gotten this far in the kingdom. It’s the first autonomous driving permit ever granted in Saudi Arabia, and it’s not just for show.

WeRide’s initial fleet will be supervised, with safety operators present during the trial phase. But the goal is clear: move toward full driverless operations in the months ahead.

“This permit marks a major step in our global expansion,” said Jennifer Li, WeRide’s CFO and Head of International, in a statement. “It enables us to scale robotaxi services and unlock new commercial opportunities in Saudi Arabia.”

She’s not exaggerating. Saudi Arabia is investing billions into futuristic mobility as part of its Vision 2030 initiative. But until now, the autonomous driving space has remained largely theoretical. WeRide just changed that.

Uber’s Playbook Keeps Getting Smarter

For Uber, this is hardly a surprise move. The company has made it increasingly clear that its future hinges not just on gig workers with phones—but on robots with wheels.

Just in the past 18 months, Uber has inked deals with autonomous vehicle firms in the U.S., UAE, and now, Saudi Arabia. Its quiet investment in Ai Driver, a software startup focused on Level 4 automation, fits neatly into this broader strategy.

While Uber isn’t building the cars or the AI brains inside them, it’s betting big that users will still come to its platform for the ride—no matter who, or what, is driving.

From China to the Gulf: WeRide’s Global Ambitions

WeRide’s win in Riyadh puts it in a unique position globally. It’s now the first tech firm to secure autonomous driving permits in six countries:

• China

• United Arab Emirates

• Singapore

• France

• United States

• Saudi Arabia

That’s a pretty broad and politically diverse spread—and shows WeRide isn’t content being just a Chinese tech success story. It wants to be a global mobility brand.

And Riyadh isn’t just a checkbox. It’s a testbed for something much bigger.

More Than Just Robotaxis

The robotaxi pilot is only half the story. WeRide confirmed it’s also preparing to introduce a robobus service in the kingdom. That could be a game changer in cities where public transit is limited and car dependency is the norm.

A robobus trial—especially if integrated into Saudi Arabia’s national transport plans—could offer:

• Scheduled, predictable service for commuters in Riyadh and potentially NEOM

• Lower operational costs than traditional buses with human drivers

• A scalable model for other GCC countries eyeing autonomous solutions

This dual rollout of robotaxis and robobuses makes WeRide’s footprint in the country deeper than any of its peers.

How Riyadh Became the Hotspot

Why Riyadh? Well, several reasons. The capital has:

• Massive, multi-lane highways with predictable traffic patterns

• Year-round visibility and low rain, a plus for sensor reliability

• Government incentives for mobility innovation

• Fewer regulatory hurdles compared to U.S. or EU cities

And let’s not forget: a public eager for smart-city transformation. With NEOM rising in the northwest and cities like Riyadh undergoing major overhauls, tech adoption has moved from buzzword to policy.

As one mobility analyst in Dubai put it: “Saudi Arabia wants to leapfrog straight from taxis to robocars.”

What Comes Next?

The current pilot is limited in size and scope. But WeRide and its partners aim to grow fast. According to sources familiar with the rollout, the companies plan to:

• Expand from central Riyadh to airport and financial districts

• Integrate robotaxi requests directly into the Uber app by Q4

• Deploy up to 100 vehicles by mid-2026

Still, not everyone is convinced. Privacy concerns, public acceptance, and accident liability remain open questions. And Saudi Arabia’s driving culture, marked by spontaneous lane switches and high-speed traffic, may test even the best AI.

One Riyadh resident, 29-year-old IT engineer Ahmed Al-Dosari, sounded cautious. “I like the idea. But I’ve seen how people drive here. Let’s see if the robots can survive first.”

A Table of the Global Robotaxi Race

With Saudi Arabia now in the mix, here’s how the global robotaxi race looks based on countries with active permits:

The race is far from over. But with six permits now secured and Saudi Arabia officially checked off, WeRide is no longer just a contender—it’s setting the pace.