K2, WeRide partner to operate autonomous buses in Abu Dhabi

K2 and WeRide signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding in UMEX 2026 to jointly operate autonomous buses with the support of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) and the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC).

The partnership supports Abu Dhabi’s vision to advance smart mobility by enabling the real-world deployment of autonomous public transport, strengthening the emirate’s position as a global hub for intelligent and sustainable transportation solutions.

Waleed Alblooshi, Vice President of Strategy at K2, said, “The strategic cooperation between K2 and WeRide reflects the importance of collaboration to realise a future where autonomous technologies operate seamlessly and sustainably.”

“K2 leverages its local expertise, fleet management capabilities, and experience in deploying real-world mobility solutions, while WeRide contributes its global AV expertise and its extensive deployment experience,” he added.

Ryan Zhan, Regional General Manager of Middle East and Africa at WeRide, said, “This MoU with K2 marks the next phase of our growth, as we partner to develop and commercialise our Robobus in the Emirate. By combining our proven L4 autonomous driving technology with K2’s deep local expertise, we are accelerating safer, smarter, and more sustainable autonomous public transport across the UAE and the wider Middle East.”

K2 has an extensive history of operating mobility solutions in different parts of the autonomous ecosystem. Its subsidiaries have tested robotaxis and last-mile delivery solutions for tens of thousands of kilometres.

WAM