Hesai Technology, the global leader in lidar technology for automotive mobility and robotics application, today announced that its lidar solution have been selected by WeRide to power its autonomous vehicles, which will begin operating on Uber Technologies, Inc.’s platform in Dubai as part of the city’s 2030 smart mobility initiative. This marks a key moment in the development of autonomous transportation in the Middle East.
Each of the autonomous vehicles will be equipped with four Hesai automotive-grade long-range lidars. As Dubai aims to transform 25% of all journeys in the city into autonomous trips across various transport modes by 2030, the market represents a significant opportunity for the expansion of autonomous vehicle services and plays a key role in shaping the future of mobility.
Renowned for its safe and reliable performance, WeRide made history in July 2023 by securing the UAE’s first national license for self-driving vehicles on public roads—the first national-level driverless license in the Middle East and even globally, covering all types of autonomous vehicles (AVs). WeRide’s latest launch in Dubai follows its successful robotaxi launch in Abu Dhabi in 2021.
Jennifer Li, Chief Financial Officer and Head of International Business at WeRide, stated:“Dubai marks a natural step forward in our commitment to advancing mobility in the Middle East as well as our continued global expansion. We believe our advanced autonomous driving technology and operational experience combined with Uber’s powerful global mobility platform will help us serve millions of consumers in cities around the world.”
“We are thrilled to be a part of the accelerated deployment of L4 autonomous driving technologies worldwide, leveraging our technology to help unlock new possibilities for transportation,” said Hesai CEO and Co-Founder David Li. “Our lidar solution was chosen for its ability to deliver exceptional safety and performance in autonomous driving applications, making it an ideal solution to support operations at scale. Our cutting-edge technologies are a key enabler of innovation in autonomous mobility and are directly contributing to Dubai’s vision of becoming a global leader in smart transportation.”
Hesai and WeRide have been collaborating since 2019, when Hesai’s lidars were integrated into the first batch of WeRide’s autonomous driving fleets for road testing and operations. In April 2022, Hesai and WeRide entered a new strategic cooperation agreement to promote the application of automotive grade, hybrid solid-state lidar on L4 autonomous vehicles. Together, Hesai and WeRide have achieved significant milestones, including powering China’s first commercialized robotaxi service in Guangzhou.
SOURCE: Hesai
