WeRide launches Guangzhou’s first robotaxi company with Baiyun Taxi, SCI Group

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- WeRide, a China-based Level 4 autonomous driving startup, has partnered with Guangzhou Baiyun Taxi Group Co.,Ltd and Science City (Guangzhou) Investment Group Co., Ltd (SCI Group) to set up a joint venture focusing on exploring and offering L4 autonomous driving mobility services, the startup announced on August 7.

(Photo source: WeRide)

It is evident that the new joint venture will specialize in robotaxi services based on its company name “WeRide RoboTaxi”. Located in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangzhou Province, the new joint venture will become the first company that is design to deliver self-driving mobility services in China's first-tier city.

SCI Group said it will provide policy support for the operation of the new joint venture. Meanwhile, Guangzhou Baiyun Taxi Group, as the largest traditional taxi firm in South China owning a fleet with over 10,000 taxis, will help WeRide apply its autonomous driving technologies in commercialized scenarios.

WeRide, previously known as JingChi.ai, has been dedicated to researching and developing L4 autonomous driving technologies since its foundation in 2017 and obtained strategic investment from a top-tier global automaker Alliance Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi.

（Photo source: WeRide)

As early as last November, the startup launched the first L4 robotaxi service in China in partnership with Baiyun Public Transport Group and GAC NE and started trial operation in Guangzhou.

WeRide has so far forged partnerships with a number of automakers and technology companies, such as Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, NVIDIA, SenseTime, Guangzhou Baiyun Taxi Group, Johnson Electric and China Unicom. Going forward, vehicles offered by strategic partners will be operated by the new joint venture with priority.