On June 2nd, the leading global autonomous driving technology company WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ: WRD, HKEX: 0800) and the international mobility giant Uber (NYSE: UBER) announced plans to launch Spain's first commercial Robotaxi pilot service in Madrid. This marks the inaugural collaboration between WeRide and Uber in the European market, with Madrid becoming the twelfth global city for WeRide's Robotaxi operations.
Since its founding in 2017, WeRide has consistently been at the forefront of Robotaxi technology development and commercial exploration. The company's services already cover key domestic and international markets including Guangzhou, Beijing, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, and Zurich. The entry into Madrid will further expand WeRide's global Robotaxi footprint and accelerate its large-scale deployment process.
With support from the Madrid Regional Government, the commercial Robotaxi service is scheduled to officially launch later this year. Local users will then be able to hail a WeRide Robotaxi with a single tap in the Uber app. During the initial operational phase, vehicles will be equipped with professionally trained safety operators. Looking ahead, as key operational metrics are met, WeRide, AVOMO, and Uber have committed to deploying hundreds of additional Robotaxis and advancing fully driverless commercial Robotaxi services across Madrid's core urban areas.
The Madrid project builds upon the successful partnership between WeRide and Uber in the Middle East. The duo currently operates fully driverless commercial Robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with Riyadh expected to launch similar services soon. This deployment also highlights WeRide's asset-light operational strategy. By partnering with established local operators possessing platform resources, WeRide can more efficiently drive the commercial scaling of its Robotaxi services.
In Madrid, the Robotaxi fleet will be equipped with WeRide's autonomous driving technology. Daily operations will be managed by AVOMO, a company under the Moove Cars Group, which is also Uber's fleet operations partner in Atlanta and Austin in the United States.
Madrid is recognized as one of Europe's most commercially promising Robotaxi markets, characterized by strong mobility demand, a large urban population, and a supportive policy environment. Leveraging WeRide's universal technology platform, WeRide One, and its universal simulation platform, WeRide GENESIS, the company aims to efficiently replicate its overseas operational experience to quickly establish stable and reliable Robotaxi services in Madrid.
Back in May 2025, WeRide and Uber announced a plan to "deploy Robotaxi services in 15 new international cities over the next five years." With the launch in Madrid, the partnership has now established operations in four cities, with the remaining eleven slated for coverage by 2030. According to the collaboration plan, the companies intend to deploy tens of thousands of Robotaxis globally, providing safe and reliable autonomous mobility services to more users.
Dr. Han Xu, Founder and CEO of WeRide, stated, "Deploying Robotaxi in a rapidly developing city like Madrid fully demonstrates WeRide's safe operational capabilities in real, complex road scenarios. Spain is the fifth European market WeRide has entered, further solidifying our leading position as a trusted Robotaxi operator in Europe. Together with Uber, we are deeply integrating WeRide's autonomous driving technology with Uber's global mobility platform to jointly accelerate the large-scale commercial deployment of Robotaxis."
Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber, commented, "Madrid is a significant step in Uber's collaboration with WeRide and will allow more users to experience autonomous mobility services. With a clear regulatory path and a strong foundation of local partners, Madrid has the potential to develop into a leading autonomous driving market in Europe. We are excited to work with all parties to shape the future of autonomous mobility in Europe."
Manuel Puga, CEO of Moove Cars Group, added, "This launch is a major milestone in AVOMO's international expansion and further solidifies our position as a global autonomous mobility operator. Following nearly two years of close collaboration with Uber in the U.S. market, we are entering the next phase with a long-term vision and are committed to investing in building efficient, scalable operational capabilities in more new markets."
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