The Road to Autonomy Episode 350 | Autonomy Markets: China vs US: Who Can Scale Faster, WeRide or Waymo?
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Nov 29, 2025 Walter Piecyk, an industry analyst known for his insights on transportation and autonomous vehicles, joins the conversation to discuss the launch of fully autonomous robotaxis by Uber and WeRide in Abu Dhabi. They explore WeRide’s ambitious fleet expansion and compare it to Pony.ai's growth strategy. The dialogue shifts to Waymo’s recent DMV approval in California, highlighting infrastructure challenges. Walter shares his firsthand experience with Tesla's FSD 14.2 in NYC, raising intriguing questions about driving behavior in an autonomous future.
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Major Driverless Launch In Abu Dhabi
- Uber and WeRide launched fully driverless robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, marking Uber's first no-attendant deployment outside the U.S..
- The rollout appears substantial, not a token launch, signaling serious international expansion for Chinese robotaxi firms.
WeRide's Slow Supply Ramp
- WeRide had 1,600 autonomous vehicles in Q3 with fewer than 750 robo-taxis, showing slow fleet growth since Q1.
- That supply pace lags Waymo and highlights how vehicle sourcing and OEM partnerships limit scaling.
Pony.ai's Ambitious But Small Ramp
- Pony.ai aims to triple to ~3,000 robo-taxis by end of next year but likely has under 1,000 today.
- Even aggressive targets from Chinese firms still trail Waymo's larger fleet, so market leadership remains uneven.