Autonomous driving company WeRide has received a landmark permit to test its fully driverless Robovan W5 in Guangzhou’s Huangpu District, becoming the first company authorized for driverless logistics testing in the area. The new permit follows an earlier approval granted in Nansha District, highlighting WeRide’s continued expansion of its autonomous delivery operations in China.
The approval enables WeRide to conduct full-area tests of its Robovan W5, an electric delivery van equipped with Level-4 autonomous driving capabilities and a redundant sensor suite for safety in complex urban settings. The Robovan is designed to handle high-frequency, last-mile logistics with a 5.5 cubic meter cargo volume, a 1,000 kg payload, and a 220 km driving range.
“This milestone highlights our technological readiness and commitment to smart logistics solutions,” the company said, noting the achievement came just one month after Huangpu authorities launched new policies to support intelligent connected vehicles and new energy applications.
The latest permit comes amid broader efforts by local authorities to encourage innovation in autonomous technologies across logistics, ride-hailing, and urban services. On June 6, Guangzhou’s Huangpu and Development Districts unveiled a framework aimed at accelerating commercial adoption of intelligent and electric transport systems.
WeRide’s Robovan W5 operates on its proprietary WeRide One platform and is equipped with features such as 360-degree environmental awareness, emergency braking, collision warnings, and real-time cloud-based monitoring. The vehicle is built for adaptability, with modular compartments that allow for a range of delivery applications including parcel and point-to-point logistics.
WeRide currently operates in more than 30 cities across 10 countries and is positioning itself to lead the fast-growing smart logistics market. That sector is projected to exceed USD 100 billion within three years and reach USD 784 billion by 2030.