PARIS, March 27, 2025 — WeRide (Nasdaq: WRD), a global leader in autonomous driving technology, announced it has secured a Level-4 driverless public road testing and operating permit in France through its partnership with beti, a leading French autonomous mobility network operator. This achievement positions WeRide as the only technology company globally with driverless permits in five countries: China, the UAE, Singapore, France, and the U.S. This milestone highlights WeRide’s global leadership and its ability to adapt to various regulatory environments while maintaining a commitment to safety and scalability in autonomous mobility.

Under the 2019 PACTE law, obtaining a driverless permit in France requires approval from several government agencies, coordinated by the Directorate General for Energy and Climate (DGEC), with collaboration from the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Ecological Transition. The process involves detailed evaluations of technical documents, safety protocols, and operational plans. WeRide and beti completed this process in a record-breaking three months, demonstrating WeRide’s commitment to meeting European standards for safety and operational excellence.

The new permit allows WeRide’s autonomous minibus to operate at speeds of up to 40 km/h, the highest speed authorized for a driverless permit in France to date.

On February 27, WeRide, in collaboration with beti, Renault Group, and Macif, launched Europe’s first commercial autonomous minibus service on public roads in Valence, Drôme, France. The permit provides regulatory support and government endorsement, furthering the project’s development. The partners plan to introduce a fully driverless commercial operation with remote hypervision capabilities by July 2025.

As a global leader in autonomous mobility, WeRide has a presence in 30 cities across 10 countries. The company’s fleet of autonomous vehicles, including robotaxis, robobuses, and robosweepers, has been deployed in France, Spain, Switzerland, Singapore, the UAE, Japan, and other locations.

WeRide is dedicated to building a collaborative ecosystem and has formed strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Uber, Renault Group, beti, CTM, Zurich Airport, and Macif.

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