Technology

WeRide to Bring Commercial Autonomous Taxis to China in July

Over the past few years, there has been an increasing focus on autonomous vehicles of all forms, shapes, and sizes. In China, research and development of this new form of transportation has taken an interesting turn. WeRide, a domestic startup, will attempt to launch their first commercial autonomous taxis in two cities later this year. This is done in an effort to rival the likes of Google and Uber.

Commercial Autonomous Taxis Come to China

It is commendable to see so many different companies work on autonomous vehicle technology. Despite this form of innovation being met with a lot of doubt and skepticism, it would appear there is a genuine market for autonomous vehicles. In fact, several companies are confident their research and development has allowed them to commercialize these efforts in the months and years to come. A bit of an optimistic outlook, albeit WeRide is taking their business model to a whole new level.

In a recent press release, the company confirmed its commercial autonomous taxis are coming to the cities of Guangzhou and Anqing. This new project will begin in July of 2019, which will allow the startup to directly compete with the likes of Uber and Google. It was a matter of time until a Chinese company tried to get in on the action, although that is often much easier said than done.

It is worth noting WeRide has been conducting trials with autonomous vehicles for quite some time now. With 50 of these vehicles driving around the country of China already, it was a matter of time until the company stepped up its game accordingly.  The current goal is to double the number of vehicles to 100 by late 2019 and even achieve the 500-vehicle milestone by late 2020. A very ambitious plan, although one that is not unattainable by any means.

Related Post

Achieving such short-term success would not be possible without the backing of some major partners. WeRide has the support of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance’s venture fund, as well as SenseTime. It would also appear the company will use Nissan Leaf electric cars as its “base” for the autonomous vehicles project in mainland China. A smart approach, as electric vehicles are becoming more commonplace in various parts of the world.

While it is evident WeRide is going up against some very big competitors, the startups is confident they will succeed. By actively focusing on the Chinese market first and foremost, there is a major market waiting to be tapped. Uber and Google are primarily focused on the US market at this time, which has grown rather competitive in recent years. Even so, WeRide will still face major challenges in terms of catching up with those existing players.

To make this service appealing to consumers, WeRide will launch a smartphone application which indicates where autonomous taxis can be picked up. For now, most of the major tourist places and shopping malls will be supported as destinations. Although drivers will be present during the first stage of this “experiment”, the payments will be done cashless. In the next two years, the drivers will be removed from the equation, assuming this trial doesn’t run into major problems along the way.

JP Buntinx

JP Buntinx is a FinTech and Bitcoin enthusiast living in Belgium. His passion for finance and technology made him one of the world's leading freelance Bitcoin writers, and he aims to achieve the same level of respect in the FinTech sector.

Share
Published by
JP Buntinx

Recent Posts

BTC ATH Close After Major Bullish Move, Top Analyst Still Thinks ALGT is a Better Choice

In the constantly fluctuating cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin (BTC) has stolen the spotlight with a dramatic…

2 hours ago

Fidelity Pursues Ethereum ETF Despite Potential SEC Hurdles

Fidelity Investments has taken a bold step in the cryptocurrency market by submitting a Form…

4 hours ago

Dogecoin Surges To New Heights Amidst Memecoin Frenzy

In an unexpected turn of events, Dogecoin, the beloved dog-themed memecoin, has skyrocketed to its…

4 hours ago

AGIX Token Unlock Boosts JasmyCoin Surge: BDAG Sold 4000+ Miners

BlockDAG Flies High with 4100 Home Miners Sold! AGIX Token Unlock Causes Frenzy! Jasmycoin Witnessing…

17 hours ago

From Rags to Riches: The Story of $100 Growing Into $200K with Bitgert Coin

There have been a series of success stories about cryptocurrency making new millionaires. We’ve heard…

17 hours ago

Rising Expectations: Expert Forecasts BEFE Coin Reaching $0.01

The current bull run is still in the early stages, and the pace of inflows…

17 hours ago