Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide has launched its first paid Level-4 robobus service in the downtown area of Guangzhou, marking the city’s first fare-charging, fully driverless bus line in its urban core.
The service, operating daily from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., runs on a 13.6-kilometre circular route starting from Meidong Road Terminal in Yuexiu District. The route includes key city landmarks such as Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Dongjun Plaza and Yuexiu Bridge.
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Each vehicle can carry up to six passengers, with ticket prices set at 10 yuan ($1.38). A 50% discount applies during the initial trial phase. Riders can pay using the local Yang Cheng Tong card or via mobile applications.
WeRide began testing its robobuses on open roads in 2022. In December 2023, it received China’s first commercial robobus license in Guangzhou’s Huangpu District. The downtown launch represents a significant expansion of its services into high-density areas with more complex traffic environments.
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Internationally, WeRide has expanded operations to more than 30 cities across 10 countries. In February 2025, the company began operating Europe’s first fully driverless robobus service in France’s Drôme region in partnership with Renault Group. It also runs services in countries including Singapore and Japan, and holds permits in markets such as the United States and the United Arab Emirates.