Nissan-backed WeRide gets approval to test self-driving cars in UAE

WeRide, a Chinese startup backed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, announced on Tuesday that it has obtained regulatory approval from the United Arab Emirates’ authorities to conduct testing and deploy a fleet of autonomous vehicles in the country. Since late 2021, the company has been running a pilot ride-hailing service with its autonomous vehicle fleet, catering to tourist areas such as Yas Island and Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.

This recent development follows WeRide’s collaboration with the Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence to deploy robobuses in Saudi Arabia last September and aligns with the firm’s strategy to establish a presence in the Middle East. WeRide successfully raised $400 million in early 2022 through a funding round that included investors such as China-Arab Investment Funds.

Source: technode.com