WeRide and Uber plan to launch a commercial robotaxi service in the Greater Zurich Region, the partners’ second European deployment in two weeks and the fifth of 15 cities under their global expansion agreement. The companies expect public operations to begin later this year through the Uber app, in collaboration with Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) and subject to regulatory approval. The plan builds on a driverless permit WeRide previously secured for Zurich’s Furttal region, which authorized its vehicles to operate autonomously on public roads.
Highlights
- Zurich becomes WeRide and Uber’s fifth city of 15 under their partnership and their second European market announced in two weeks, after Madrid.
- Public operations are expected later this year via the Uber app, in collaboration with Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office (FEDRO), subject to regulatory approval.
- Local mobility and logistics operator Rydera will manage day-to-day fleet operations under WeRide’s asset-light model.
- WeRide already holds a FEDRO driverless permit for Zurich’s Furttal region, clearing autonomous operation on public roads.
A Second European Market in Two Weeks
Zurich marks WeRide and Uber’s first deployment region in Switzerland and arrives just two weeks after the companies unveiled plans for Madrid, their first European market. With Zurich, the partners will operate in five of the 15 cities named under their earlier agreement, part of a stated plan to deploy tens of thousands of robotaxis on public roads worldwide.
“Europe is a priority region for WeRide, and announcing two European markets in two weeks reflects the speed and efficiency of our expansion strategy. Zurich’s status as a global business centre and premium mobility market makes it an attractive city for Robotaxi commercialization as we scale autonomous mobility with Uber worldwide,” said Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International at WeRide.
How the Zurich Service Will Operate
Switzerland offers one of Europe’s more developed regulatory environments for autonomous-vehicle permits alongside a high-value ride-hailing market, which the companies say supports strong unit economics. The fleet will scale progressively in coordination with the authorities as performance milestones are met, including a planned transition to fully driverless commercial service in core urban areas. In Zurich, Rydera will handle day-to-day fleet operations, reflecting WeRide’s asset-light strategy of leaning on local partners for fleet investment and platform support. The service runs on the WeRide One technology platform and the company’s GENESIS simulation platform.
“Switzerland is a key market for autonomous mobility, combining forward-thinking regulation with a demand for high-quality ride-hailing solutions. Our partnership with WeRide continues to gain momentum across Europe, and we are excited to apply our operational expertise to bring this next generation of autonomous rides to Zurich,” added Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber.
Building on Middle East Deployments
The Zurich plan extends a partnership that began in the Middle East. Since December 2024, WeRide and Uber have run fully driverless commercial robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and public operations in Riyadh, a record the companies describe as a tested blueprint for European expansion.
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