Latest news with #WeRide
Asharq Al-Awsat
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Transport Minister Launches Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles
Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the Board of the Transport General Authority Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser launched on Wednesday the Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles in Riyadh. This milestone marks a significant step aimed at enabling advanced technology and expanding the development of a smart and safe transportation ecosystem in the Kingdom. The initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and is an extension of Saudi Vision 2030 towards adopting sustainable mobility solutions powered by the latest artificial intelligence technologies. This project is the result of an integrated partnership that brings together the transport and logistics ecosystem and relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology ecosystem, the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), in addition to private sector partners represented by technology and operations partners Uber, WeRide, and AiDriver. The autonomous vehicles in this phase will operate within a real-world environment covering King Khalid International Airport and several key locations across Riyadh, including major highways and selected city center destinations. This phase is implemented under the direct regulatory and technical supervision of the Transport General Authority. The vehicles will transport passengers with a safety officer onboard each vehicle to ensure safety and monitor the performance of smart systems in actual operating conditions. Al-Jasser stressed that the launch of the initial operational phase reflects the Kingdom's ambitious vision to build a smart and integrated transport system that supports economic growth and enhances quality of life. Enabling modern technologies and developing regulatory and operational frameworks are key pillars to expanding the implementation of this technology and supporting the transformation of the transport sector, he added. The initiative is an extension of the Kingdom's efforts to promote sustainability, improve mobility efficiency, and localize innovation. This project represents a pioneering model of public-private partnership, paving the way for a future of safer and smarter mobility, he stated.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WeRide and Lenovo introduce HPC 3.0 platform for L4 autonomous vehicles
Autonomous driving technology company WeRide has unveiled its latest high-performance computing platform, HPC 3.0, co-developed with Lenovo. This NVIDIA's new DRIVE AGX Thor chip-powered platform is integral to WeRide's mass-produced Level 4 (L4) autonomous vehicle, the Robotaxi GXR. This platform is said to minimise the cost of autonomous driving suites by 50%, facilitating the large-scale commercial deployment of the GXR. WeRide noted that the platform features a dual NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Thor configuration running the safety-certified DriveOS. It is built on the AD1 L4 autonomous driving domain controller of Lenovo and delivers up to 2,000 TOPS of AI compute. The platform not only enhances core capabilities but also streamlines system integration, slashing mass production expenses to a quarter of that of HPC 2.0. Additionally, it is said to consolidate key modules such as controller area network (CAN) gateway, Ethernet gateway, inertial navigation, and collision identification. This consolidation leads to lower production and maintenance expenses, reducing the total cost of ownership by a staggering 84% over its lifecycle in comparison with its predecessor. WeRide added that its HPC 3.0's design architecture meets the Automotive Safety Integrity Level D (ASIL-D) safety level, with a failure rate below 50 FIT (failures per billion hours of operation) and a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 120,000 to 180,000 hours. Designed for durability, it claims to withstand extreme temperatures and is compliant with global VOCs environmental standards. This makes HPC 3.0 suitable for international deployment, supporting WeRide's ambition to scale its Robotaxi fleet globally. WeRide CEO and founder Tony Han said: 'Integrating the HPC 3.0 platform into our Robotaxi GXR enhances vehicle reliability and responsiveness while significantly reducing deployment costs. Moving forward, we plan to extend this platform across more of our L4 autonomous vehicles — including the Robobus, and Robosweeper — bringing smart, accessible mobility to more cities and customers worldwide.' Since 2017, NVIDIA has been an important investor in WeRide through its NVIDIA Inception programme. In May 2025, WeRide announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia, demonstrating its commitment to its global growth strategy. "WeRide and Lenovo introduce HPC 3.0 platform for L4 autonomous vehicles" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
China's WeRide launches Southeast Asia's first fully driverless bus service in Singapore
WeRide, a leading mainland Chinese self-driving technology developer, has launched Southeast Asia's first fully driverless bus service in Singapore – operating without a safety officer on board. The Robobus, equipped with 360-degree vision and capable of detecting obstacles more than 200 metres away, operates on a fixed 1.2km loop every 12 minutes, connecting three hotels and The Galleria shopping mall on Sentosa island, the company said in a statement on Thursday. The launch followed a year-long trial that began in June 2024, during which the autonomous vehicle transported tens of thousands of passengers with safety operators onboard – without a single accident, the company said. 'All companies intending to deploy autonomous vehicles must first pass relevant assessments related to their autonomous capabilities and demonstrate their ability to operate safely on public roads with safety operators onboard without any incident,' said Lam Wee Shann, deputy chief executive and chief technology officer at the Land Transport Authority, which plans, builds and maintains Singapore's land transport infrastructure and systems. The interior of WeRide's fully driverless Robobus in Singapore. Photo: Handout Once companies pass the assessments, they can remove the onboard safety operator requirement and replace it with constant remote monitoring instead, he added. Jennifer Li, the chief financial officer at WeRide, who also heads its international business operations, said that the launch of the driverless bus service proved its technology was 'ready to transform public transportation at scale'.
AsiaOne
6 days ago
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for Singapore
SINGAPORE - In a first for Singapore, autonomous vehicle (AV) firm WeRide has been given permission to operate a self-driving shuttle bus service in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) without any safety personnel on board. Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) gave the firm the green light after extensive testing and safety assessments of WeRide's remote operations and on-road performance here, said the Guangzhou-based company on July 17. The company said this is also the first time in South-east Asia that AVs have been given permission to operate without an onboard safety officer. Its eight-seater driverless bus, fitted with a suite of cameras and light detection and ranging sensors, has been plying a fixed 12-minute route within the RWS integrated resort since June 2024. The company said it has completed thousands of trips and ferried tens of thousands of passengers without any incident. In January, WeRide was allowed to remove the steering wheel and pedals from the vehicle, but a safety officer was still required to be on board to intervene in case of an emergency. WeRide's chief financial officer and head of international, Jennifer Li, called the removal of the onboard safety officer a "groundbreaking milestone" for the future of mobility in the region. "Deploying the region's first fully driverless robo-bus demonstrates that our vehicles are safe, reliable, and ready to transform public transportation at scale," Li added. LTA deputy chief executive for technology Lam Wee Shann said the authority has been working with WeRide to facilitate autonomous shuttle trials at RWS, pointing to an assessment framework that was revised in November 2024 to drive the safe adoption of more mature AV technologies. WeRide, which has established a dedicated research and development centre in Singapore, has also been trialling its self-driving road sweepers in Jurong Lake Gardens since March. This is after it had earlier deployed similar driverless road sweepers in Marina Coastal Drive and at the Esplanade in November 2024. WeRide's announcement on July 17 comes as Singapore prepares to make a major AV push to strengthen the public transport network. By the start of the fourth quarter of 2025, self-driving shuttles will hit the roads in Punggol as part of plans to ramp up driverless vehicle deployments in the next five years. Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow told reporters during a visit to Guangzhou in late June that the deployment of the autonomous shuttles here will be done in steps. [[nid:719631]] At the start, these vehicles will not ferry any passengers until residents and road users are more comfortable with them. They will have a safety officer on board and be clearly identifiable by a bright colour. The hope is that the autonomous shuttles can start taking passengers by the end of 2025. The safety officer can then be removed eventually in the third stage of the roll-out, as is the case in places like Guangzhou, where some autonomous bus routes are already being operated remotely. The Straits Times spoke to 27 Punggol residents earlier in July and found a mix of excitement and scepticism about autonomous vehicles. Financial advisor Shariqqi Rizvi, 28, said he was open to the idea, noting that newer residential estates in Punggol East are hard to access as they are served by only one bus route currently. Carole Yeo, 36, however, does not believe that driverless vehicles are safe. She said: "I'd be scared. What if something happens suddenly? I don't quite trust them." This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
AsiaOne
6 days ago
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for Singapore, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - In a first for Singapore, autonomous vehicle (AV) firm WeRide has been given permission to operate a self-driving shuttle bus service in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) without any safety personnel on board. Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) gave the firm the green light after extensive testing and safety assessments of WeRide's remote operations and on-road performance here, said the Guangzhou-based company on July 17. The company said this is also the first time in South-east Asia that AVs have been given permission to operate without an onboard safety officer. Its eight-seater driverless bus, fitted with a suite of cameras and light detection and ranging sensors, has been plying a fixed 12-minute route within the RWS integrated resort since June 2024. The company said it has completed thousands of trips and ferried tens of thousands of passengers without any incident. In January, WeRide was allowed to remove the steering wheel and pedals from the vehicle, but a safety officer was still required to be on board to intervene in case of an emergency. WeRide's chief financial officer and head of international, Jennifer Li, called the removal of the onboard safety officer a "groundbreaking milestone" for the future of mobility in the region. "Deploying the region's first fully driverless robo-bus demonstrates that our vehicles are safe, reliable, and ready to transform public transportation at scale," Li added. LTA deputy chief executive for technology Lam Wee Shann said the authority has been working with WeRide to facilitate autonomous shuttle trials at RWS, pointing to an assessment framework that was revised in November 2024 to drive the safe adoption of more mature AV technologies. WeRide, which has established a dedicated research and development centre in Singapore, has also been trialling its self-driving road sweepers in Jurong Lake Gardens since March. This is after it had earlier deployed similar driverless road sweepers in Marina Coastal Drive and at the Esplanade in November 2024. WeRide's announcement on July 17 comes as Singapore prepares to make a major AV push to strengthen the public transport network. By the start of the fourth quarter of 2025, self-driving shuttles will hit the roads in Punggol as part of plans to ramp up driverless vehicle deployments in the next five years. Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow told reporters during a visit to Guangzhou in late June that the deployment of the autonomous shuttles here will be done in steps. [[nid:719631]] At the start, these vehicles will not ferry any passengers until residents and road users are more comfortable with them. They will have a safety officer on board and be clearly identifiable by a bright colour. The hope is that the autonomous shuttles can start taking passengers by the end of 2025. The safety officer can then be removed eventually in the third stage of the roll-out, as is the case in places like Guangzhou, where some autonomous bus routes are already being operated remotely. The Straits Times spoke to 27 Punggol residents earlier in July and found a mix of excitement and scepticism about autonomous vehicles. Financial advisor Shariqqi Rizvi, 28, said he was open to the idea, noting that newer residential estates in Punggol East are hard to access as they are served by only one bus route currently. Carole Yeo, 36, however, does not believe that driverless vehicles are safe. She said: "I'd be scared. What if something happens suddenly? I don't quite trust them." This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
