WeRide Deepens Singapore Push With Robotaxi Debut, Eying Regional Growth
WeRide Inc., a leading Chinese autonomous driving company, has launched its Robotaxi service in Singapore, marking a significant step in its Southeast Asian expansion and the region's first introduction to Level 4 autonomous passenger vehicles. The deployment is central to a strategic partnership with ride-hailing giant Grab Holdings Inc., aimed at commercializing autonomous mobility on a large scale.
The company announced on September 1 that its first fleet of five-seater GXR Robotaxis, co-developed with Geely's Farizon Auto, has arrived in the city-state. These vehicles are currently undergoing simulated road tests at Nanyang Technological University’s Centre of Excellence for Testing & Research of AVs. This initiative is a critical move to secure Singapore’s stringent M1 license for autonomous vehicles, a key regulatory hurdle for public road deployment.
Should the vehicles receive certification, WeRide plans to launch public road operations in the Punggol residential district in the fourth quarter of 2025. This project will serve as the first implementation under its partnership with Grab, which was fortified by a multi-million dollar strategic investment from the Southeast Asian tech giant in August 2025. The collaboration aims to integrate WeRide’s vehicles into Grab's extensive network, which spans over 800 cities.
The Singapore push is a cornerstone of WeRide’s tested global strategy of technical validation followed by targeted commercial rollout and scalable expansion. It builds upon the company's existing operational footprint in the city-state, which already includes unmanned Robobus and commercial Robosweeper services, positioning Singapore as a key hub for its regional ambitions.
Forging a Path to Public Roads
The immediate goal for WeRide is securing the M1 license from Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA). The certification process involves rigorous assessments, including navigating complex intersections and avoiding static and dynamic obstacles. WeRide is leveraging its prior experience, having successfully obtained a license for its autonomous street sweepers in November 2024.
The planned Punggol deployment is part of Singapore’s broader "Autonomous Vehicle Community Shuttle Plan." According to WeRide founder and CEO Han Xu, the GXR model has been optimized for Singapore's tropical climate and complex road network. “We will provide a ‘replicable commercialization model’ for the smart mobility ecosystem in Southeast Asia, leveraging the technical experience accumulated from over 2,200 days of safe global operations,” Han stated, emphasizing the company's commitment to delivering a safe and efficient service.
Strategic Alliance with Grab Fuels Ambitions
The partnership with Grab is pivotal to WeRide’s commercialization strategy in the region. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in March 2025, followed by Grab’s strategic investment in August. This alliance plans to not only integrate autonomous vehicles into Grab’s ride-hailing platform but also to jointly develop professional training programs for drivers transitioning to new roles within the autonomous mobility ecosystem.
The Punggol pilot project is the first tangible outcome of this collaboration. It serves as a foundational step toward a much larger commercial rollout, with plans to expand the fleet to thousands of vehicles after 2026. This phased approach allows the partners to refine operations and user experience before scaling across other markets.
Purpose-Built for Autonomous Service
The Robotaxi GXR is a purpose-built vehicle designed for Level 4 autonomous operations, capable of handling complex urban scenarios such as rush hour traffic and high-speed nighttime driving. The vehicle is engineered with full system redundancy, including its architecture, drive-by-wire chassis, computing unit, and braking system, to mitigate single-point failures and ensure passenger safety.
Its technical capabilities are powered by a new HPC 2.0 high-performance computing platform, delivering over 1,300 TOPS of AI compute power for swift and precise decision-making. The interior design maximizes passenger space by removing the front passenger seat, creating best-in-class legroom. A unique hidden B-pillar design allows the front and side-sliding doors to open simultaneously, creating an exceptionally large entry point for easy access for passengers and their luggage.
A Multi-Platform Strategy in a Gateway Market
As the only company with autonomous driving licenses in China, the U.S., Singapore, and the UAE, WeRide's latest move in Singapore reinforces its multi-platform approach. Prior to the Robotaxi launch, the company had already established a strong presence in the market. In July, it introduced a fully driverless Robobus service at Resorts World Sentosa, marking the first unmanned autonomous vehicle operation in Southeast Asia.
Furthermore, its Robosweeper S6 and S1 models have been in commercial operation at Marina Bay since November 2024, creating Singapore’s first commercialized autonomous sanitation project. Looking ahead, WeRide intends to accelerate the deployment of its Robotaxi GXR fleet while continuing to work closely with local partners to explore opportunities for wider regional expansion.