Uber & WeRide Expanding Robotaxi Partnership to 15 More Cities

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Uber and WeRide launched commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi 5 months in the past. Apparently, that partnership goes properly, as the businesses have now indicated that they plan to increase such service to fifteen extra cities within the subsequent 5 years.

Uber is clearly eyeing a robotaxi future. It’s investing $100 million extra into WeRide to make this plan occur — and that’s simply by the tip of 2025. This additionally is available in the identical week that the corporate’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, emphasised that Waymo robotaxis are outperforming Uber’s human-driven vehicles in Austin, Texas.

WeRide is a China-based autonomous driving firm, nevertheless it did gain the right to test robotaxis on California roads final yr. Uber and WeRide haven’t talked about getting into the US on this newest information, however a few of these 15 cities might be in Europe.

Uber’s partnership with Waymo is increasing into Atlanta quickly. It might be attention-grabbing if WeRide did enter US markets the place it was competing with Waymo. I’m undecided how Uber would deal with that. Possibly it might simply use all of the robotaxis it may get. Nonetheless, I’m inclined to suppose that WeRide will attempt to lock down sure cities, Waymo will deal with others, and it’s a protracted methods off till they are going to be competing in a single metropolis — and doubtlessly each partnering with Uber.

Maybe it appeared at one time {that a} “robotaxi revolution” may occur quickly, however this gradual rollout of robotaxis in main cities all over the world is definitely the extra wise, sensible avenue. Robotaxis simply preserve creeping in quietly and scaling up step-by-step. We’ll see which steps are taken subsequent.