In a significant advancement for autonomous transportation, UAE-based mobility solutions provider K2 and global autonomous driving technology firm WeRide have formalized a strategic partnership to deploy and operate self-driving buses across Abu Dhabi. The landmark agreement was signed during the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2026 with official endorsement from both the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) and the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC).
This collaboration represents a concrete step toward realizing Abu Dhabi’s comprehensive smart mobility strategy, facilitating the practical implementation of autonomous public transportation systems. The initiative aims to solidify the emirate’s standing as an international center for intelligent, sustainable transit solutions.
K2 brings substantial regional operational expertise to the partnership, with subsidiaries having previously conducted extensive testing of robotic taxis and last-mile delivery solutions across tens of thousands of kilometers. WeRide contributes its advanced Level 4 autonomous driving technology and global deployment experience to the venture.
Waleed Alblooshi, Vice President of Strategy at K2, emphasized the synergistic nature of the partnership: “K2 leverages its local expertise, fleet management capabilities, and experience in deploying real-world mobility solutions, while WeRide contributes its global AV expertise and extensive deployment experience.”
Ryan Zhan, Regional General Manager for Middle East and Africa at WeRide, characterized the agreement as marking “the next phase of our growth” in the region. “By combining our proven L4 autonomous driving technology with K2’s deep local expertise,” Zhan noted, “we are accelerating safer, smarter, and more sustainable autonomous public transport across the UAE and the wider Middle East.”
The autonomous bus initiative aligns with broader regional transportation modernization efforts, including Ras Al Khaimah’s recent consolidation of autonomous vehicle operations under a single transport authority and previous successful trials of fully driverless ride-hailing services in the Abu Dhabi metropolitan area.