- WeRide gets the green light to roll out robotaxis across Saudi Arabia, starting with a pilot in Riyadh with Uber and its local partner Ai Driver.
- WeRide and Uber plan to launch a full-scale commercial robotaxi service by the end of 2025.
Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD) announced today that it was granted Saudi Arabia's first robotaxi autonomous driving permit, becoming the only technology company globally whose products have obtained autonomous driving licenses in six countries: Saudi Arabia, China, the UAE, Singapore, France, and the US.
This means that WeRide is authorized to operate autonomous vehicle services and deploy robotaxis nationwide in Saudi Arabia, with pilot operations initially taking place in Riyadh in collaboration with Uber and its local partner Ai Driver, the company said.
The pilot project was launched earlier this month and covers King Khalid International Airport and several key locations in Riyadh, including major highways and some downtown destinations.
WeRide and Uber expect to launch a full-scale commercial robotaxi service in collaboration by the end of 2025.
"This permit marks a major step in our global expansion, enabling us to scale robotaxi services and unlock new commercial opportunities in Saudi Arabia," said Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International at WeRide.
In addition to its robotaxi plans, WeRide is testing and operating its Robobus in some locations in Saudi Arabia.
Its Robosweeper S1 is also in operation at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Second Health Cluster, marking the first profitable autonomous driving sanitation project in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East region, according to the company.
Prior to this, WeRide announced its expansion into the Saudi market in May.
WeRide was founded in 2017 and is one of China's earliest companies specializing in advanced smart driving solutions. The company was listed on the Nasdaq on October 25 last year.
In September 2024, WeRide partnered with Uber to advance the use of its autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform.
