WeRide, Hesai Technology to deploy hybrid solid-state LiDAR to autonomous vehicles

Beijing (Gasgoo)- China’s leading autonomous driving company WeRide and LiDAR supplier Hesai Technology deepened their partnership to promote the application of hybrid solid-state LiDARs, the duo announced on April 29th.

Photo credit: WeRide

The two companies will work together to accelerate the deployment of hybrid solid-state LiDARs onto autonomous vehicles, advancing the commercialization of WeRide’s autonomous driving technology.

Hesai Technology has been a long-term partner to WeRide. WeRide believes that auto-grade hybrid solid-state LiDAR is the emerging component among autonomous driving development, which can elevate WeRide’s autonomous driving capabilities, said Han Xu, founder and CEO of WeRide. 

As early as 2019, WeRide had adopted Hesai Technology’s Pandar series LiDARs onto its hundred-vehicle Robotaxi fleet. The suppplier’s LiDARs helped WeRide launch China’s first Robotaxi service that’s open to the public in Guangzhou. WeRide’s Robotaxi fleet holds taxi qualification issued by local authorities, allowing it to operate and charge the same as traditional Guangzhou taxis. 

By the end of January 2022, WeRide has accumulated over 10 million kilometers of autonomous driving mileages on open roads. It’s autonomous fleet has expanded to more than 400 vehicles, ranging from Robotaxi, Robobus, Robovan to Robosweepers. 

The company currently operates and tests autonomous vehicles in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Bo’ao in China, as well as San Francisco, Abu Dhabi overseas.