WeRide Inc. (WRD) saw its stock surge 9.07% in pre-market trading on Wednesday, following the announcement of an expanded partnership with Uber for a global rollout of Robotaxi fleets. The collaboration, which began in September 2024, is now set to accelerate WeRide's international expansion in the autonomous vehicle market.

The partnership has already yielded significant results, with the successful deployment of the largest public commercial Robotaxi fleet outside the US and China in Abu Dhabi by December 2024. The collaboration has since expanded to Dubai, where WeRide's Robotaxis are expected to be available on Uber's platform in the near future. This rapid progress demonstrates the effectiveness of the partnership and the growing demand for autonomous ride-hailing services.

Looking ahead, WeRide and Uber have unveiled ambitious plans to launch Robotaxi fleets in 15 additional cities over the next five years, including key markets in Europe. This expansion is poised to significantly advance WeRide's global Robotaxi commercialization strategy, potentially opening up new revenue streams and market opportunities for the company. Investors appear to be responding positively to these developments, as reflected in the stock's pre-market surge.