WeRide: Chinese RoboTaxi Startup Gets California Approval for Passenger Rides

WeRide: Chinese RoboTaxi Startup Gets California Approval for Passenger Rides

WeRide, a Chinese autonomous vehicle company, has received permission from the California Public Utilities Commission to begin testing its driverless vehicles with passengers in California. This news comes as WeRide prepares for an initial public offering (IPO) on the U.S. stock market, aiming for a valuation of nearly $5 billion.

However, the timing coincides with reports that the Commerce Department is considering a ban on Chinese-connected vehicles, including autonomous vehicles, due to national security concerns.

WeRide now holds two permits from the CPUC: one for drivered pilot testing with a human safety driver and another for driverless pilot testing. While both permits allow WeRide to test its vehicles on public roads with passengers, they don't allow for charging passengers for rides, and the service is not yet available to the general public.

WeRide has been testing its autonomous vehicles without passengers on public roads in San Jose since 2021. However, their rollout in California has been slower than competitors like Waymo, which drove over 9 million autonomous miles in 2023, compared to WeRide's 42,391 miles.

WeRide has shared limited details about its plans for commercialization in California. The company's CPUC permit restricts it to vehicles seating fewer than 16 people, including the driver. This stipulation could be due to WeRide's diverse vehicle offerings, including a robotaxi and a robobus, which seats up to 10 passengers.

WeRide boasts itself as the first autonomous driving company operating and testing in 30 cities across seven countries, holding permits to drive autonomously in China, Singapore, the UAE, and the U.S. In addition to its robotaxi and robobus, WeRide is also developing a robovan for goods delivery, a robotic street sweeper, and ADAS systems for car manufacturers.