Uber CEO discusses self-driving vehicles in the UAE

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi discussed the company’s self-driving vehicle initiatives in the UAE at the Semafor World Economy Summit 2025 in Washington.

He highlighted Uber’s partnership with Chinese autonomous vehicle firm WeRide, which launched driverless car services in Abu Dhabi last year.

This collaboration introduced self-driving vehicles to Saadiyat Island and Yas Island, with plans for future expansion.

Earlier this year, the partnership extended to Dubai, deploying autonomous taxis in collaboration with the Roads and Transport Authority.

Khosrowshahi also touched on challenges in the automotive and self-driving industries, particularly global competition from Chinese manufacturers.

He noted that while ride-sharing reduces the need for car ownership, he personally owns a Tesla and occasionally uses its self-driving feature.

🔗 Source: The National

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Uber’s regional strategy reflects its post-2018 autonomous vehicle pivot

Uber’s approach to self-driving in the UAE demonstrates how dramatically the company’s autonomous strategy has evolved since its troubled early efforts.

After a fatal 2018 accident with one of its self-driving test vehicles in Arizona, Uber sold its Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) and abandoned developing its own autonomous technology, despite having invested billions in internal development 1.

The WeRide partnership in UAE represents Uber’s newer, less capital-intensive partnership model, allowing the company to offer autonomous rides without bearing the enormous R&D costs and regulatory risks of developing the technology itself 2.

This strategy aligns with CEO Khosrowshahi’s stated goal of reaching profitability, as it lets Uber deploy autonomous vehicles strategically in receptive markets while maintaining its core driver-based business elsewhere 3.

The UAE’s tech-forward regulatory environment makes it an ideal testbed, unlike markets with more complicated regulatory frameworks or stronger driver advocacy groups that might resist automation.

2️⃣ The economics of autonomous vehicles remain Uber’s existential challenge

Despite all the focus on technology, Uber’s interest in self-driving is fundamentally financial—driver costs represent approximately 80% of Uber’s per-mile expenses 2.