WeRide receives approval to operate in Saudi Arabia
According to WeRide, this makes it the only technology company in the world whose products have been approved for autonomous driving in six countries, including Saudi Arabia, China, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, France and the USA.
WeRide first started operating in Saudi Arabia in May of this year, when WeRide began testing and operating its Robobus in key locations including King Fahad Medical City, Aramco residential communities, AlUla, and the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh. Additionally, the “Robosweeper S1 is also in operation at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Second Health Cluster, marking the first monetized autonomous sanitation project in both Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.”
The pilot was only launched earlier this month, covering King Khalid International Airport and several key locations throughout Riyadh, including major highways and selected city centre destinations.
The permit was handed over at an official ceremony last week, which was attended by political representatives from Saudi Arabia, as well as WeRide’s CFO Jennifer Li. It marked the first time an autonomous vehicle tech company completed the TGA’s Regulatory Sandbox for AV Piloting in Saudi Arabia. “The approval process, conducted in coordination with multiple government agencies, includes rigorous testing, assessments, and technology validation to secure the Robotaxi autonomous driving permit, to ensure the highest standards of safety and performance.”
“This permit marks a major step in our global expansion, enabling us to scale Robotaxi services and unlock new commercial opportunities in Saudi Arabia. It drives large-scale deployment, unlocks new revenue streams, and reinforces our commitment to making autonomous mobility a reality worldwide. We thank the TGA for supporting our vision for safer, smarter transportation at scale,” said Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International at WeRide.
In addition to Saudi Arabia, WeRide has been expanding in the Middle East recently, for example, starting tests in Abu Dhabi recently, as well as an entry into Dubai to take place “soon.”
In the Middle East, WeRide already partnered with Uber in the United Arab Emirates. In Europe, WeRide is working together with Renault on establishing programs featuring autonomous electric buses that are to run in a number of European cities this year, including Barcelona, Valence, and Zurich. In China, Beijing’s authorities approved tests for fully automated Mercedes vehicles last year.
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