VALENCE, France, Feb. 27, 2025 — WeRide (Nasdaq: WRD), a global leader in autonomous driving technology, announced the first commercial deployment in Europe of its fully driverless Robobus. This is a result of a shuttle service partnership with beti, Renault Group, and Macif, and will offer an L4-level automated mobility service in the Drôme region of France.

WeRide’s L4 autonomous technology will power a passenger transport service on public roads with mixed traffic. Beti Automated Mobility will operate several six-meter robobuses, each capable of carrying eight passengers. Operations are scheduled to commence on March 10 at the Rovaltain business park – Valence TGV station in Drôme.

Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International Business at WeRide, stated that the collaboration with beti enables their first commercial Robobus deployment in Europe. She highlighted WeRide’s experience in China, Singapore, and the Middle East, emphasizing the company’s position as a global leader in L4 autonomous driving deployment and commercialization.

According to Benjamin Beaudet, CEO of beti, beti’s “hypervision” solution adds an extra layer of safety for automated driving and ensures the system is continuously improved.

The 3.3 km route will connect the train station, off-site long-term parking, the business park’s catering facilities, and 150 companies employing 3,000 individuals.

Key use cases include:

– Providing convenient transportation between the station and companies while promoting sustainable last-mile solutions.

– Offering a low-emission alternative to walking between parking and the station.

– Connecting employees with company catering services.

This deployment is significant because:

– It marks WeRide’s first fully driverless commercial Robobus deployment in Europe, demonstrating its global expansion.

– It’s the first high-level automated service linking a railway station with a business park.

– WeRide’s L4 automation allows speeds of up to 40km/h and the ability to dynamically avoid obstacles.

Patrick Vergelas, Head of Autonomous Mobility Projects, Renault Group, noted that the passenger transport service using automated shuttles is being established in Valence after successful trials by Renault Group and WeRide.

The initial learning phase, running from March 10 to April 19, will operate Monday to Friday under real passenger transport conditions to assess the service’s relevance, the technology’s safety, and the efficiency of operations. A second operating phase is planned to begin in July.

Contact 

Edmond Lococo
ICR, LLC 
+1 (332) 242-4398

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