About the company

China's WeRide is a pioneer in the development of commercial autonomous driving and has become a global leader since its founding in 2017. What sets the company apart is its status as the only company licensed to operate cars with this technology in several major markets including China, the UAE, Singapore and the US. A significant milestone was WeRide's listing on Nasdaq in October 2024, making it the first publicly traded autonomous driving company. This achievement underscores its role as a global leader in the commercialization of the technology, particularly through its Robotaxi service, which has already expanded to multiple cities. In addition to passenger transport, the company has developed an impressive suite of autonomous solutions including Robobuses, Robovans and urban robotic sweepers, demonstrating its versatility. Strategic partnerships with major automakers and suppliers such as Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, GAC and Bosch further strengthen WeRide's position. The collaboration with Bosch has led to the mass production of Chery's Exeed models with WePilot's ADAS autonomous driving software.[1]

Double increase in value

WeRide's rapid rise has not gone unnoticed by large investors. On Friday, February 14, 2025, the company's stock surged nearly 109% to an all-time high of $35.80, while its market capitalization has increased to $8.6 billion, according to Companiesmarketcap.com.[2] * This was following the published news that tech giant Nvidia, had acquired a significant stake in WeRide, showing confidence in the potential of the Chinese company's products and technology. According to Investopedia, Nvidia said in a statement that it owned more than 1.7 million shares of WeRide as of the end of last year. On the same day, the Californian firm revealed its purchase of shares in Nebius Group, while also divesting about half of its stake in Arm Holdings and also no longer owning shares in SoundHound, Nano-X Imaging and Serve Robotics.[3]

Shares of WeRide later fell during Friday's trading day and closed at $31.50, which still represented an impressive more than 80% gain over the closing price the day before. As of February 18, 2025, the share price was up 10% to $41.34, breaking Friday's record. Meanwhile, WeRide is up 152% since going public last October.*

WeRide's share price development over the last 5 years. (Source: Google Finance)*

Expanded portfolio with Robovan

Among the latest additions to the family of autonomous vehicles is the Robovan W5 delivery vehicle. This is a significant step forward for the urban logistics sector, as the vehicle can operate continuously in all weather conditions. Equipped with a state-of-the-art set of sensors and a large load capacity, the Robovan W5 can cover 220 kilometres. It can adjust routes in real time based on the current traffic situation and can also communicate with other vehicles, making driving much easier for operators. This approach makes large-scale autonomous delivery more cost-effective while maintaining flexibility for a variety of logistical needs. This launch strengthens WeRide's presence in the delivery sector and complements its existing range of autonomous mobility solutions, including Robotaxi and Robosweeper.[4]

Further cooperation in Switzerland

WeRide has secured its global reach with its latest autonomous driving pilot project in Switzerland. The initiative, which is supported by the Zurich region and the Swiss State Railways, integrates WeRide's autonomous technology into the country's public transport network. The project, managed by the Swiss Transit Lab, aims to address mobility gaps, particularly in suburban areas where transport options are often limited. During the initial testing phase, two autonomous vehicles will be deployed in the Furttal region of Switzerland, with plans to expand the fleet to four by mid-2025. Over the next five years, the project will be gradually expanded, with eight cars expected next year. Customers will be able to order the cars via an app. This is the Chinese company's third major European project in just eight months. It launched its first autonomous minibuses at Zurich airport and played a key role in providing buses for the 2024 French Open in Paris.[5]

Robotaxi in Abu Dhabi

At the end of 2024, WeRide announced a partnership with Uber, an American taxi service, in the United Arab Emirates. This is a significant step as it is Uber's first collaboration outside the US. With the support of the Abu Dhabi Integrated Transportation Centre, the launch signals a move towards mainstream adoption and availability of autonomous vehicles in the region. To take advantage of a ride in such a car, riders must use UberX or Comfort, and it is only available in certain areas such as Saadiyat and Yas Islands and Zayed Airport. The customer can decide whether to stand for such a ride directly on the Uber app. As this is a start-up project, each ride will be supervised by a safety operator for the time being, with the vision being to move to fully autonomous rides by the end of this year. The success of the project could set the stage for further expansion, which could bring WeRide's Robotaxi services to more cities around the world.[6]

Conclusion

WeRide has developed into a world leader in autonomous mobility, as evidenced not only by its stock market success, but also by its constant technological innovation. Entering the logistics sector, expanding into Switzerland and collaborating with Uber in Abu Dhabi are just the next steps towards its ambitious vision. Shares are soaring and the company is strengthening its presence in global markets, clearly demonstrating that autonomous transport is slowly becoming a reality.[1]

* Past performance is no guarantee of future results

[1] Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and current expectations, which may be inaccurate, or on the current economic environment, which may change. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. They involve risks and other uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements.

[1] https://www.weride.ai/about

[2] https://companiesmarketcap.com/weride/marketcap/

[3] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tech-stocks-soaring-friday-nvidia-193713184.html

[4] https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/weride-launches-robovan-w5-pioneering-new-class-of-autonomous-delivery-vehicle-302370121.html

[5] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/weride-wins-tech-supplier-role-191740743.html

[6] https://www.investing.com/news/assorted/uber-and-weride-launch-autonomous-mobility-service-in-abu-dhabi-432SI-3758714