Uber Technologies has announced a significant boost to its investment in Chinese autonomous driving tech firm WeRide. The ride-hailing giant has committed an additional $100 million equity investment in WeRide, on top of its existing investment. This move marks Uber’s largest investment in autonomous driving to date.
The investment is expected to close in the coming months, according to a report from Chinese media outlet Cailian, which cited sources familiar with the matter. While the report did not specify when Uber initially invested in WeRide, it is worth noting that WeRide was founded in 2017 and went public on Nasdaq in October 2024.
In September 2024, WeRide forged a partnership with Uber to advance its robotaxis for use on the Uber platform. The collaboration has already seen the launch of robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi, with plans to expand to Dubai as well. WeRide and Uber have now announced plans to further expand their strategic partnership to include 15 new cities worldwide over the next five years, spanning Europe and the Middle East.
The two companies are committed to expanding their robotaxi partnership to several new cities each year outside of the US and China. This expansion signifies a significant step forward in the development and deployment of autonomous driving technology on a global scale.
With this increased investment and partnership expansion, Uber and WeRide are poised to make significant strides in the autonomous driving industry. The collaboration between the two companies is expected to drive innovation and accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicles in markets around the world. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting partnership between Uber and WeRide.
