DeepRoute.ai, a leading Chinese autonomous driving developer backed by Alibaba and Great Wall Motor, said it will begin operating production-grade robotaxis by late 2025, marking a key milestone in its push to commercialize scalable and affordable autonomous mobility.
The company plans to deploy consumer-market production vehicles equipped with its autonomous systems — already used in over 150,000 vehicles across China — eliminating the need for costly, custom-built test fleets. DeepRoute.ai expects the number of vehicles integrated with its systems to reach 200,000 units by year-end.
See also: DeepRoute.ai Unveils DeepRoute IO 2.0 With Advanced VLA Technology for Mass-Produced Vehicles
Unlike conventional robotaxi programs reliant on expensive, high-definition map infrastructure, DeepRoute.ai’s map-free navigation platform allows for quicker and more cost-effective expansion into new regions.
The firm said this approach significantly reduces operational costs by removing HD map licensing and maintenance fees. “The key strength of DeepRoute.ai’s model is that its robotaxi platform and mass-produced vehicles share the same core technology framework,” said Maxwell Zhou, CEO of DeepRoute.ai. “This ensures consistency, scalability, and rapid validation in real-world conditions.”
See also: DeepRoute.ai Unveils Mass-Production-Ready IO 2.0 Platform At IAA Mobility 2025
With over $500 million in investor backing, DeepRoute.ai is focusing on a globally scalable model supported by continuous data feedback from its operating fleet.
The company is establishing a European operational base to localize development and strengthen partnerships as it targets expansion into Europe, Japan, and South Korea, regions with aging populations, higher labor costs, and favorable regulatory environments for autonomous driving deployment.