WeRide (WRD, Financial) announced Monday that it has received approval to deploy its latest-generation robotaxi, the GXR, for fully unmanned paid ride-hailing services in Beijing. This marks the company's second robotaxi model to achieve driverless commercial operations in the city and its first large-scale deployment in China, following its debut on Uber (UBER, Financial) in Abu Dhabi last December.
The autonomous ride-hailing service will operate across key areas in Beijing, including high-speed railway stations and major highways, with routes extending to Beijing Daxing International Airport. WeRide emphasized its rapid rollout, reaching fully unmanned operations within just four months of GXR's initial launch.
GXR features Level 4 autonomous technology, a redundant drive-by-wire chassis, and an open design maximizing passenger and luggage space. Customers can book rides via the WeRide Go app.
WeRide is expanding its global footprint, with plans to launch fully driverless robotaxi services in Zurich by 2025. The company also aims to scale its Beijing fleet to several hundred robotaxis next year.
WeRide shares were up 11.43% pre-market Monday as of 09:18 ET, extending YTD gains to 218%, though broader market sentiment may also be a factor.
