WeRide opens new Nanjing branch expanding its Mini Robobus test and service in China
WeRide, China’s leading L4 autonomous driving company, announced that it has set up a wholly-owned R&D and operation branch in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province in East China, and kicked off regular testing of its self-driving Mini Robobus on Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island in Jianye District, a growing city center and Nanjing’s leading emerging areas for the modern services industry. WeRide will later provide local people with convenient autonomous driving mobility services.
Meanwhile, Nanjing Jianye High-Tech Investment Capital Management Co., Ltd recently announced its participation in WeRide’s Series B funding, with a total investment of 50 million RMB.
WeRide’s branch in Nanjing was inaugurated in a ceremony by Sizhou Yang, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of the Economic Development Zone on Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island, and Li Zhang, COO of WeRide, and witnessed by Head of Jianye District Chen Jiang, and other officials.
Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island is the pilot area that will be used to build Nanjing into a city of innovation that will lead the transformation of smart transportation. The Island is pioneering for advocating smart mobility and self-driving service.
WeRide’s R&D and operation branch in Nanjing will make full use of Jianye District’s leading and exemplary role in autonomous driving and commit itself to the commercialization of autonomous driving technologies in Jiangsu Province, providing the public with safe, economical, convenient and reliable smart mobility services.
WeRide’s Mini Robobus is jointly designed with its leading investor Yutong Group for open urban roads. It is an innovative L4 AD vehicle with capacity of 10 passengers that is packed with WeRide’s advanced self-driving technologies, enabling a safe and comfortable commuting experience. During the inauguration ceremony, Head of Jianye District Chen Jiang and WeRide COO Li Zhang cut a ribbon for the Mini Robobus, and together with other officials and guests, took a test ride.
The business operation of WeRide on Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island will push forward the autonomous driving industrial chain in Jianye District and greater Nanjing. It will facilitate the development of self-driving services in the District and popularize self-driving mobility services throughout Nanjing.
During the inauguration ceremony, Chen said he hopes leading enterprises in autonomous driving like WeRide will present economies of scale. “We will create an enabling environment to accelerate the development of publicly accessible autonomous driving services and win over policy support from the central, provincial and municipal governments.”
“With strong support from leaders of local governments, WeRide will give full play to its huge edge in technologies and its leading experience in smart mobility service. We will build our Jiangsu branch into a leading enterprise in Nanjing’s smart mobility field, injecting more innovation and vitality into the District and Nanjing.” WeRide COO Li Zhang said.
Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island, covering an area of about 15 square kilometers, is the only island in Nanjing’s main urban area along the Yangtze River. Residential buildings, business parks, ecological parks, rail transit, bus routes, tourism and sightseeing, and other transportation facilities are available on the island. Enterprises of software, AI and more are converging on the Island, which is oriented to be highly consistent with the vison of building an innovative city with smart transportation. It also provides an ideal open road test environment and a variety of application scenarios for leading autonomous driving enterprises.
WeRide has recently rolled out its Mini Robobus in Nanjing, Guangzhou and Zhengzhou, an indication of the company’s expansion of its AD tests and smart mobility services. All these efforts have made WeRide a favored innovative enterprise as cities across China are turning smart and promoting AI-powered mobility.
