- Slovakia becomes WeRide's fourth European market, following France, Belgium, and Switzerland.
- The first batch of WeRide's robotaxis will arrive in Slovakia in spring 2026, with road tests slated to begin in Bratislava in the first half of the year.
Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide has announced its entry into the Slovakian market, expanding its global footprint to 12 countries.
The company has formed a strategic partnership with Elevate Slovakia, a multi-stakeholder initiative, to officially launch the country's first national-level commercial autonomous driving project, according to a statement released Thursday.
The initiative marks Europe's first large-scale, state-backed commercialization plan for autonomous driving, making Slovakia the fourth European market in WeRide's portfolio.
WeRide will deploy its full suite of products in Slovakia, including its robotaxi, Robobus, Robovan, and Robosweeper.
These vehicles will be utilized to provide autonomous passenger transport, advance unmanned parcel delivery services, and conduct smart municipal sanitation operations.
The initial fleet of self-driving vehicles is scheduled to arrive in spring 2026, with road testing planned to commence in the capital city of Bratislava during the first half of 2026.
Upon meeting all legislative and safety standards, the testing programs will expand to cities like Košice, gradually advancing toward nationwide, fully driverless commercial operations across Slovakia.
Founded in 2017, WeRide has secured autonomous driving licenses in eight countries: China, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, France, the US, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and Switzerland.
The company's global fleet of operational robotaxis surpassed the key milestone of 1,000 units, reaching a total of 1,023 vehicles, it announced in January.
WeRide's long-term goal is to operate tens of thousands of robotaxis globally by 2030.
The company officially listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market on October 25, 2024, and debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on November 6, 2025.
