China’s autonomous driving company, WeRide, has received the first national license for self-driving vehicles in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The license allows WeRide to conduct tests of its Level 4 autonomous vehicles on public roads across the country. Level 4 autonomy means that the vehicle can handle all aspects of driving under certain conditions without human intervention.
The granting of this license is in line with UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision of achieving 25% fully autonomous transportation in the country by 2030. As part of this vision, the UAE’s Council of Ministers has also approved WeRide’s permit alongside a national policy for electric vehicles (EVs). The policy includes the development of a national charging network, regulations for the EV market, and the stimulation of related industries like autonomous vehicles (AVs) to reduce emissions and preserve the quality of roads.
The UAE, particularly the city of Dubai, has been a hub for various driverless vehicle trials. Since 2019, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has organized the World Conference on Self-Driving Transport, which brings together industry leaders in the autonomous driving space. This year’s conference, scheduled for September, will feature a competition where companies and academic institutions showcase their autonomous bus solutions.
The RTA has set a goal of reducing the number of vehicles on Dubai’s roads and expanding robotaxi operations to 4,000 vehicles by 2030. The city has also welcomed Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, to test and develop robotaxis. Cruise has been mapping Dubai since July 2022 and plans to launch its purpose-built robotaxi, Cruise Origins, on the city’s streets later this year.
WeRide, in its statement, mentioned that it will begin testing all types of self-driving vehicles in the UAE. The company aims to commercialize its autonomous driving technology across various vehicle types, including robotaxis, robobuses, robovans, and autonomous street sweepers.
WeRide has been conducting robotaxi tests on certain public roads in the UAE over the past year. Moreover, the company has expressed its interest in expanding to Saudi Arabia, announcing plans to collaborate with the Saudi Artificial Intelligence Company to launch a robobus route in the country.
While it is unclear what regulatory requirements companies need to meet to test, deploy, and commercialize autonomous vehicles in the UAE, the testing process will be overseen by the RegLab, an initiative by the General Secretariat of the Cabinet. In the United States and China, where most autonomous vehicle testing occurs, regulation is more decentralized, with local governments taking the lead.
For instance, in California and Arizona, two states with significant AV testing and commercialization, regulatory requirements differ. In California, companies must obtain permits from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission to test, deploy, and charge for rides with or without human safety drivers. WeRide currently holds these permits from the DMV. In contrast, Arizona only requires companies to self-certify that their vehicles can safely come to a stop in case of a system malfunction.
By securing the first national license for self-driving vehicles in the UAE, WeRide is taking a significant step towards advancing autonomous driving technology and contributing to the UAE’s goal of achieving a significant portion of fully autonomous transportation by 2030.
