Abu Dhabi – K2 and WeRide signed a strategic memorandum of understanding at UMEX 2026 to jointly operate autonomous buses with support from the Smart Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) and the Integrated Transport Center (ITC).
This partnership supports Abu Dhabi’s vision to advance smart mobility by enabling the real-world deployment of autonomous public transport and strengthening the emirate’s position as a global hub for intelligent and sustainable transport solutions.
“The strategic collaboration between K2 and WeRide reflects the importance of collaboration to realize a future where self-driving technologies operate seamlessly and sustainably,” said Waleed Albrusi, vice president of strategy at K2.
“K2 will leverage local expertise, fleet management capabilities and real-world mobility solution deployment experience, while WeRide will contribute global AV expertise and extensive deployment experience,” he added.
“This MoU with K2 marks the next stage of our growth as we partner on the development and commercialization of robobuses in the Emirates. By combining our proven L4 self-driving technology with K2’s deep local expertise, we are accelerating safer, smarter and more sustainable self-driving public transport in the UAE and across the Middle East,” said Ryan Zhang, WeRide’s Regional General Manager for the Middle East and Africa.
K2 has an extensive history of operating mobility solutions in various parts of the autonomous ecosystem. The company’s subsidiaries have tested robotaxis and last-mile delivery solutions over tens of thousands of kilometers.
