Gasgoo Munich- On March 15, the new-generation Robotaxi R2, jointly developed by DiDi Autonomous Driving and GAC Aion, officially secured a road test license for intelligent connected vehicles in Beijing. This marks the second approval for the model following its Guangzhou testing license in January, signaling that this L4 autonomous vehicle will conduct synchronized road tests in Beijing and Guangzhou to further verify its capabilities in complex urban road scenarios.
Image source: GAC
Slated for official delivery in January 2026, the Robotaxi R2 stands as a significant achievement of the deep collaboration between the two parties. The vehicle fuses DiDi Autonomous Driving's L4 full-stack hardware and software technology with GAC Aion's manufacturing prowess. Designed with global adaptability and tailored specifically for driverless scenarios, the R2 aims to significantly reduce costs while boosting system reliability. Both the cabin experience and autonomous driving performance have undergone comprehensive upgrades.
DiDi Autonomous Driving is currently conducting fully unmanned passenger tests with its XC90 fleet in parts of Beijing and Guangzhou, maintaining a record of safe and stable operations. Now, as the R2 enters the testing phase in Beijing, the company plans to leverage its upgraded performance alongside the smart maintenance support of the Huijugang system to further refine its autonomous driving technology and expand the boundaries of application scenarios.
Notably, DiDi Autonomous Driving completed a 2 billion yuan D-round financing in October 2025. Investors included the Zhongguancun Science City Technology Growth Fund, the Beijing Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund, and other AI industry funds from Beijing and Guangzhou, alongside corporate backers like GAC Group. Bolstered by this capital, DiDi Autonomous Driving is set to increase its investment in AI R&D, steadily driving the commercial deployment of autonomous driving technology through responsible innovation.
