WeRide receives UAE’s first self-driving licence

Image: WeRide

WeRide, a Chinese autonomous driving company, has become the first self-driving vehicle company to receive a licence in the UAE. The announcement was made by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on his social media account.

Sheikh Mohammed tweeted that the UAE has approved ‘the first national license for self-driving cars on the country’s roads.’

ترأست اليوم اجتماعاً لمجلس الوزراء بقصر الوطن بأبوظبي.. أقررنا خلاله مجموعة من القرارات المهمة وكان أولها وبتوجيهات أخي رئيس الدولة حفظه الله اعتماد إنشاء وزارة للاستثمار في الدولة ضمن الهيكل الحكومي الاتحادي وتعيين محمد حسن السويدي وزيراً للاستثمار في الدولة .
هدف الوزارة… pic.twitter.com/I8lkfBHj10

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) July 3, 2023

This is the first national-level autonomous driving licence issued in the Middle East. The licence will allow WeRide to conduct various road-testing exercises and autonomous driving operations across the UAE, as per a statement by the company.

The UAE Cabinet also approved the national policy for electric vehicles, which includes building a national network for electric vehicle chargers, regulating the electric vehicle market, and stimulating related industries to ensure reduced emissions, energy consumption, and the preservation of the quality of roads that the UAE enjoys.

“The world is changing rapidly… leadership patterns are changing, and life in the country will change rapidly in the coming years.. and the human being, his comfort and quality of life will remain the permanent constant in our governmental agenda,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

Dubai aims to have 25 per cent of its transportation fully autonomous by 2030. Sheikh Mohammed emphasised that the issuance of the self-driving license reflects a change in the country’s future mobility patterns.

WeRide is a leading L4 autonomous driving technology company. Level-4 autonomy means the car can drive by itself in most conditions without a human backup driver.

It has previously collaborated with Bayanat, Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, the Integrated Transport Centre and Miral Asset Management to test autonomous taxi service TXAI across 16,600 km on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

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