WeRide Obtains France’s Level-4 Driverless Permit, Becoming the Only Tech Company with Driverless Permits in Five Countries

Rhea-AI Summary

WeRide (Nasdaq: WRD) has achieved a significant milestone by obtaining France's Level-4 driverless public road testing and operating permit, making it the only technology company worldwide to hold driverless permits across five countries: China, UAE, Singapore, France, and the US.

The permit, secured in partnership with French autonomous mobility operator beti, was obtained in a record three months through France's rigorous PACTE law process. The authorization allows WeRide's autonomous minibus to operate at speeds up to 40 km/h, the highest-speed driverless permit in France.

WeRide recently launched Europe's first public-road commercial autonomous minibus service in Valence, France, collaborating with beti, Renault Group, and Macif. The company plans to implement fully driverless commercial operations with remote hypervision by July 2025. WeRide currently operates in 30 cities across 10 countries, with various autonomous vehicles including robotaxi, robobus, and robosweeper.

Positive

• First tech company to secure driverless permits in five major markets
• Record-breaking three-month approval time for French permit
• Highest-speed driverless permit (40 km/h) issued in France
• Extensive global presence in 30 cities across 10 countries
• Strategic partnerships with major companies including Uber and Renault Group

Negative

• Full driverless operations not yet implemented, pending until July 2025

Insights

Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expert

WeRide's achievement in securing France's Level-4 driverless permit represents a significant technological milestone in the autonomous driving industry. Being the only company worldwide with driverless permits across five countries demonstrates exceptional technical adaptability across diverse regulatory frameworks.

The authorization to operate at speeds up to 40 km/h - the highest-speed driverless permit in France - indicates WeRide's systems have met rigorous safety standards. This isn't merely a paperwork victory; it validates their autonomous driving stack's capability to handle varied traffic conditions, signaling infrastructure, and driving behaviors specific to European environments.

What's particularly notable is WeRide's complete autonomous ecosystem spanning robotaxis, robobuses, and robosweepers - suggesting a comprehensive commercialization strategy rather than a single-product approach. The partnership with Renault provides crucial manufacturing scalability while the Uber partnership opens significant deployment channels.

The planned July 2025 implementation of "one-to-multiple remote hypervision" represents advanced fleet management capabilities essential for commercial viability. This technology allows a single operator to monitor multiple vehicles simultaneously, dramatically improving the economics of autonomous operations.

WeRide's presence in 30 cities across 10 countries demonstrates operational validation at scale - a crucial differentiator in an industry where many competitors struggle to expand beyond test environments. The record-setting three-month approval process further suggests their technical documentation and safety protocols have reached exceptional maturity compared to industry peers.

Regulatory Affairs Expert

WeRide's multi-country regulatory achievement represents a rare competitive moat in the autonomous vehicle sector. Securing driverless permits across China, UAE, Singapore, France, and the US demonstrates unprecedented regulatory navigational expertise across vastly different governance systems.

The significance of completing France's notoriously complex approval process in just three months cannot be overstated. The French regulatory framework requires coordinated approval from multiple agencies under the 2019 PACTE law, including the Directorate General for Energy and Climate, Ministry of the Interior, and Ministry of Ecological Transition.

This approval velocity suggests WeRide has developed sophisticated regulatory compliance systems and documentation frameworks that can be efficiently adapted to different jurisdictions. Such capability represents a significant barrier to competition, as regulatory approval typically consumes years of resources for autonomous vehicle companies.

The France permit specifically enables the February 27th commercial autonomous minibus service in Valence - moving beyond testing to actual revenue-generating operations. This transition from experimental to commercial deployment represents the critical regulatory threshold most autonomous companies struggle to cross.

WeRide's strategic partnership approach with local operators (beti), established manufacturers (Renault), and insurance providers (Macif) demonstrates sophisticated stakeholder management essential for regulatory success. These relationships help address the complex liability and operational concerns that typically slow regulatory approval.

The July 2025 target for fully driverless operations provides a clear regulatory roadmap that investors can monitor for execution performance.

PARIS, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeRide (Nasdaq: WRD), a world leader in autonomous driving technology, announced that the company, in partnership with the leading French autonomous mobility network operator beti, has obtained France’s Level-4 driverless public road testing and operating permit. This makes WeRide the first and only technology company worldwide to hold driverless permits across five countries: China, the UAE, Singapore, France, and the U.S. This remarkable milestone underscores WeRide’s global leadership, demonstrating its unparalleled technological capability and adaptability to diverse regulatory frameworks, and unwavering commitment to safety, compliance, and scalability in autonomous mobility.

Under the 2019 PACTE law, acquiring a driverless permit in France requires approval from multiple government agencies, coordinated by the Directorate General for Energy and Climate (DGEC), in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Ecological Transition. The process involves thorough evaluations of technical documents, safety protocols, and operational plans. WeRide and beti completed this rigorous process in three months—setting a record for France’s fastest driverless permit approval. This achievement highlights WeRide’s dedication to meeting the highest European standards for safety and operational excellence.

With this new permit, WeRide’s autonomous minibus is authorized to operate at speeds of up to 40 km/h, marking the highest-speed driverless permit issued in France to date.

On February 27, WeRide, in collaboration with beti, Renault Group, and Macif, launched Europe’s first public-road commercial autonomous minibus service in Valence, Drôme, France. The acquisition of the permit provides crucial regulatory backing and government endorsement, reinforcing the project’s progress. By July 2025, the partners aim to introduce a fully driverless commercial operation with one-to-multiple remote hypervision.

As a global pioneer and leader in autonomous mobility, WeRide has established a strong presence in 30 cities across 10 countries. The company’s innovative fleet of pre-designed, mass-produced autonomous vehicles—including robotaxi, robobus, and robosweeper—has already been deployed in France, Spain, Switzerland, Singapore, the UAE, Japan, and more.

Committed to building an open and collaborative ecosystem, WeRide has forged strategic partnerships with leading industry players, including Uber, the world’s largest mobility and delivery technology company; Renault Group, a top-tier global OEM; beti, a leading European autonomous mobility network operator; CTM, Singapore’s Tier-1 environmental services provider; Zurich Airport, one of Europe’s busiest transportation hubs; and Macif, a prominent French insurance company.

Contacts

Investor inquiries: ir@weride.ai
Press inquiries: pr@weride.ai

FAQ

What is the significance of WeRide (WRD) obtaining France's Level-4 driverless permit?

WeRide becomes the only tech company globally to hold driverless permits in five countries (China, UAE, Singapore, France, US), demonstrating its global leadership in autonomous driving technology.

What speed limit has WeRide (WRD) been authorized for in France?

WeRide's autonomous minibus is authorized to operate at speeds up to 40 km/h, the highest-speed driverless permit issued in France to date.

When will WeRide (WRD) launch fully driverless operations in France?

WeRide plans to introduce fully driverless commercial operations with remote hypervision by July 2025 in Valence, France.

How many cities does WeRide (WRD) currently operate in globally?

WeRide operates in 30 cities across 10 countries, deploying various autonomous vehicles including robotaxi, robobus, and robosweeper.

What partnerships has WeRide (WRD) established for its French operations?

WeRide has partnered with beti (autonomous mobility operator), Renault Group, and Macif for its French operations, launching Europe's first public-road commercial autonomous minibus service.