The Beijing E-Town company WeRide recently announced that its first batch of Robotaxi GXRs has arrived in Singapore and begun testing.

WeRide's founder and CEO, Tony Han, stated, "The deployment of the new generation production model, Robotaxi GXR, in Singapore will pave the way for us to launch more autonomous driving services in the region".

WeRide's Robotaxi GXR boasts industry-leading L4-level capabilities for operating on public roads, adeptly handling complex scenarios such as rush hour traffic, mixed pedestrian and vehicle environments, and high-speed nighttime driving. Each vehicle can accommodate up to five passengers.

Currently, this fleet of Robotaxi GXRs is undergoing simulated road tests at the CETRAN at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. These tests aim to evaluate the vehicles' performance and safety under Singapore's public road conditions, preparing them for the prestigious M1 certification, which acts as a "road permit". Once approved, the vehicles are expected to be deployed on designated public roads by the end of 2025.

"Based on our technological strengths and the vast amount of real-world data we've accumulated in similar urban environments globally, we have optimized our deployment for Singapore's road conditions," said Tony. "Safety is always WeRide's top priority. Through rigorous testing processes and deep collaboration with industry partners, we are laying a solid foundation for the commercialization of autonomous driving services in Southeast Asia".

This progress is a vivid illustration of WeRide's accelerated global expansion. Currently, WeRide has deployed, tested, and operated in four countries: China, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland, achieving a safety operation record of over 2,200 days. In Abu Dhabi, WeRide has launched fully driverless Robotaxi testing and plans to open it to the public in the coming months. In July of this year, WeRide also collaborated with Uber and AiDriver to initiate a Robotaxi pilot operation in Riyadh.

In the future, WeRide will continue to collaborate with relevant parties in the Southeast Asia region to support subsequent vehicle deployments and explore broader regional expansion opportunities.