Uber and China's WeRide have launched the Middle East's first commercial driverless mobility service in Abu Dhabi.
Trips will first be available in areas such as Saadiyat Island and Yas Island and routes to and from Zayed International Airport. Transport company Tawasul will operate WeRide's vehicles on the Uber platform.
It will be available to Uber riders requesting UberX or Uber Comfort. For qualifying trips, riders will have the opportunity to be matched with a WeRide AV.
Each vehicle will be equipped with a human safety operator at the wheel. Uber plans to phase out safety drivers by 2025, Uber's global head of autonomous mobility and delivery operations, Noah Zych, told The National.
Unlike a human driver, an autonomous vehicle is programmed to follow the rules of the road every time
Noah Zyck,
Uber
“We want to approach this responsibly," he said. "We want to ensure that the technology is safe, the customers are comfortable, and the regulators are comfortable with the performance of the technology. As we mature and demonstrate safe operation, we hope to remove the safety operators next year and provide fully driverless rides."
Pedestrian detection
The technology behind WeRide's autonomous vehicles is outfitted with LiDAR, technology that uses laser light to measure distances and create precise 3D maps of its surroundings, as well as radar and cameras, Mr Zych said.
These sensors work together to map the area around the vehicle, helping it detect and track pedestrians, other cars and obstacles, while ensuring it follows traffic rules and reacts to any changes in its environment.
The ability of autonomous vehicles to follow traffic laws without distractions – such as a human driver texting – is also a key safety feature. “Unlike a human driver, an autonomous vehicle is programmed to follow the rules of the road every time,” Mr Zych added.
“It won't speed, make illegal turns, or get sidetracked. It's designed to provide the safest and most efficient ride possible.”
San Francisco-based Uber said in August it will include Cruise robotaxis in its US fleet in 2025. The company has been offering driverless cars in Phoenix, Arizona, on its platform since October last year through an agreement with Alphabet's Waymo. Guangzhou-based WeRide manufactures vehicles with level-4 autonomy – one step below full autonomy, which is when a car is entirely capable of driving itself without the intervention of a human.
In July last year, WeRide became the first company to receive a preliminary national licence for self-driving cars from the UAE Cabinet. At that time, the company announced plans to begin testing various autonomous vehicles on UAE roads, including robotaxis, robobuses, robovans, and robosweepers.
Later that month, WeRide revealed its ambition to rapidly expand its operations in the UAE, with plans to introduce hundreds of vehicles by 2025.
Samir Imran, partner and head of cities of the future practice at Arthur D Little, highlighted the advantage of machines in ensuring road safety. “Machines obey orders,” he told The National. This characteristic, he said, helps reduce human error, which is a common cause of accidents.
Mr Zych also emphasised that the technology is continuously evolving, with the vehicles learning to safely navigate complex road scenarios, such as tracking moving pedestrians or avoiding sudden obstacles including animals crossing the road.
Liability and regulations
Mr Zych reassured passengers that the autonomous vehicles strictly adhere to all traffic rules, alleviating any concerns about potential legal issues.
“It will always follow the speed limits and passengers don't have to worry about phone violations. You can sit back, use your phone, and the car will handle the driving,” he added.
Mr Imran explained that liability in case of an accident is a complex issue that varies by jurisdiction, citing that in the UAE, the responsibility would likely be shared between the municipality, transport authorities and the AV manufacturers.
“Each region handles these cases differently based on its legal framework and regulations,” he said. He also noted that the level of autonomy involved in the accident could affect who is held responsible. “In many situations, liability may not rest solely on one party,” he added.
Expanding beyond UAE
Mr Zych said the company views the launch in Abu Dhabi as the first step in a broader strategy to roll out autonomous vehicles across the UAE and the wider region. “We view this as the starting point. We're excited to start here in the region, in the UAE, and in Abu Dhabi, but expand beyond there,” he said.
Abu Dhabi already has a small fleet of driverless taxis operating on Yas Island, managed by TXAI, the UAE's first autonomous taxi service. During the 2022 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, TXAI also ran a driverless bus service for race fans.
The global autonomous vehicle market is expected to reach more than $13.6 trillion by 2030, up from an estimated $1.92 trillion last year, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 32.3 per cent, according to data from Fortune Business Insights.
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
Company%C2%A0profile
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Book%20Details
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
