Chinese autonomous driving technology startup WeRide has introduced its latest production robotaxi, the GXR, which the company claims to be the world’s most spacious robotaxi to date. Measuring 5,018 mm in length, with a cabin clearance of 1,340 mm and a wheelbase of 3,100 mm, the GXR departs from the typical sedan and SUV designs prevalent in the industry, adopting a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) format.
In a notable design feature, WeRide has eliminated the first-row passenger seat in the GXR, marking a first in the industry and allowing for enhanced passenger space. The robotaxi is equipped with WeRide’s comprehensive Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving hardware and software systems, which incorporate redundancy in critical systems like the computing unit and braking to bolster safety.
The GXR is outfitted with a sensor suite dubbed Sensor Suite 5.6, featuring over 20 sensors, including LiDAR and high-definition cameras. This suite enables 360-degree scanning of the environment, allowing the robotaxi to detect objects up to 200 meters away. Complementing the sensors is the HPC 2.0 computing platform, delivering over 1,300 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of AI computing power to meet the vehicle’s computational requirements.
WeRide states that the GXR’s L4 autonomous driving capabilities can navigate complex situations, including heavy traffic during rush hours, mixed environments with both pedestrians and vehicles, and nighttime highway driving. Once the robotaxi is officially launched for public operation, passengers will be able to request rides through WeRide’s mobile app in China.
Founded in 2017, WeRide’s portfolio includes not only the robotaxi but also a mini robobus, robovan, and a robo street sweeper, as well as SAE Level 2 to Level 4 solutions for advanced intelligent driving. The company currently tests and operates autonomous vehicles in 30 cities across seven countries, holding autonomous driving test licenses in four countries—China, the United States, the UAE, and Singapore—simultaneously.
On September 25, WeRide announced a strategic partnership with Uber to enhance the deployment of its self-driving vehicles on the Uber platform, with initial operations set to launch in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, by the end of this year. A fleet of WeRide’s autonomous vehicles will be made available through the Uber app to provide services to passengers.
