WeRide's Robobuses start operations in Guangzhou

WeRide, a major player of autonomous driving in China, in collaboration with Guangzhou Bus Group, has inaugurated the commercial operation of an autonomous shuttle line along a bus rapid transit (BRT) route in the Tianhe district of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province.

The route marks the first autonomous shuttle to navigate the BRT system in Guangzhou's city center and operates at night, offering a new, efficient and convenient option for nighttime commuters.

The Tianhe BRT autonomous shuttle line commences at BRT Wenyuan station, passing through several commercial plazas, communities and transportation hubs over a 9-kilometer route.

Key stops include Chebei, Dongpu town and Zhucun stations, before looping back to the starting point. Operating from 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm with a single nightly trip, the service supports local public transportation card payments, mobile ride codes and near field communication (NFC) payments, enhancing the nighttime commuting experience for residents.

As an integral part of Guangzhou's city center BRT system, the autonomous shuttle line bolsters the connectivity of the Guangzhou BRT network, effectively streamlining the city's public transportation capillaries, according to the company.

The line also connects with several of the city's metro lines and connects with the operational BRT Xiayuan — BRT Wenyuan line, enabling citizens to traverse the Tianhe and Huangpu districts aboard WeRide Robobuses.

The launch of the autonomous shuttle line is another significant milestone that underscores WeRide's commitment to commercialization and leveraging technology for public benefit, according to the company.

The shuttle line further expands the application scenarios for Robobus, diversifies nighttime travel options and demonstrates the robust capabilities of L4 autonomous driving technology in complex urban environments.

Since late 2023, WeRide, in collaboration with the local bus operator, has deployed 50 Robobuses, rolling out 10 commercial autonomous shuttle lines, including Guangzhou International Bio Island Line 1 and Line 2, Knowledge City Yongjingwan Convenience Line, Canton Tower Line and Pazhou Loop.

Currently, WeRide Robobus operates in 30 cities globally, including Guangzhou and Zhuhai of Guangdong, Wuxi and Nanjing in Jiangsu province, Dalian of Liaoning province, Beijing and Singapore, with its safe and intelligent services having become an integral part of daily life for local residents.

In a new development, the company announced last Thursday the deployment of its Robobus autonomous shuttle service at Zurich Airport in partnership with Flughafen Zurich AG and Swiss Transit Lab.

The deployment marks a significant milestone in bringing autonomous mobility solutions to one of Europe's major aviation hubs and builds upon WeRide's successful European operations, including its autonomous shuttle service at the 2024 Roland-Garros tennis tournament.

The WeRide Robobus, which can accommodate up to nine passengers, will be the first commercial autonomous bus shuttle project within an airport in Europe, serving airport employees along a dedicated route connecting the employee entrance to the maintenance area.

The service is scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2025, complementing existing air-side shuttle services for airport staff.

Before the test phase of Robobus operations, WeRide's autonomous taxi, Robotaxi, completed route mapping at Zurich Airport, demonstrating that WeRide's robotaxis will have more applications in Switzerland.

The Zurich Airport service follows the successful deployment in Paris, where Robobus provided efficient shuttle services for VIPs and media across a 5-kilometer route during the French Open, as part of an ongoing collaboration with Renault Group to promote low-carbon public transportation solutions across Europe.

The Robobus deployment leverages WeRide's advanced autonomous driving technology, which has undergone extensive testing and validation across more than 30 cities in seven countries.

The company's Robobus service was also launched at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore in June 2024. The shuttle route for hotel guests and tourists, jointly launched by WeRide, Resorts World Sentosa and EZ Buzz Pte Ltd, spans 1.2 kilometers with four stops along the way, taking approximately 12 minutes to complete.