WeRide.ai

WeRide is another autonomous vehicle start-up, which styles itself as a rival of Pony.ai. Like other companies focusing on self-driving technology, it is developing robotaxis and claims to have tested its systems through trial programmes of more than 10 million kilometres. WeRide was founded in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong, which was also the location for the launch of China’s first robotaxi service for the public in 2019.

Early backing came from investors including a strategic venture capital fund operated by Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi. WeRide closed another $400 million round of funding earlier this year from a group of investors including state-owned automaker GAC and German car parts supplier Bosch. The round was reported to have valued the five-year-old firm at $4.4 billion.

Sponsored by HSBC.

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