Autonomous driving company WeRide has launched commercial operations of its Robotaxi GXR in Beijing, marking its second fully driverless model approved for paid ride-hailing services in the city.
The new service area covers key locations in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, including high-speed railway stations and major highways leading to Beijing Daxing International Airport. The deployment follows the GXR’s initial launch on Uber’s platform in Abu Dhabi last December.
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“The commercial launch of Robotaxi GXR in Beijing represents a pivotal achievement for WeRide and the autonomous driving industry,” said Dr. Tony Han, Founder and CEO of WeRide. “By advancing from product launch to unmanned commercial operations in just four months, we’ve demonstrated that autonomous technology is ready to meet various transportation needs at scale.”
The GXR, designed with L4-level autonomous architecture, features a redundant drive-by-wire chassis and a hidden B-pillar design to enhance passenger accessibility. It accommodates up to five passengers and can be hailed through the WeRide Go app.
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WeRide, which operates Robotaxi services in multiple Chinese cities including Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ordos, and Suzhou, is the only autonomous company with commercial deployments in both China and overseas. It plans to expand its fleet in Beijing to several hundred vehicles by 2025 and extend operations to Zurich, Switzerland, next year.