Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide said it has received equity investment commitments worth tens of millions of dollars from Southeast Asian super app Grab, aiming to speed up its expansion across the region.
The investment, expected to close by the first half of 2026, follows a memorandum of understanding signed in March 2025. Under the strategic partnership, the companies plan to integrate WeRide’s L4-level robotaxis into Grab’s mobility network and apply WeRide’s autonomous driving technology to fleet management, vehicle matching and route planning.
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WeRide said the collaboration will also include skills training to help Grab drivers and local community members transition into roles within the autonomous driving sector. The move is part of its plan to gradually deploy thousands of robotaxis in Southeast Asia, in line with local regulations and market readiness.
Founded in 2017, WeRide is one of China’s earliest companies specialising in advanced smart driving solutions. It went public on Nasdaq in October 2024 and has since expanded its operational footprint to six countries, recently obtaining the first local robotaxi autonomous driving licence in Saudi Arabia. This authorisation allows the company to operate nationwide services there, starting with a pilot programme in Riyadh in partnership with Uber and local firm Ai Driver.
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WeRide’s current global licences also cover China, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, France and the United States. The company’s expansion in Southeast Asia adds to its recent progress, which includes confidentially filing for a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in June, according to local media reports.