WeRide, a Chinese autonomous vehicle startup, has received California’s regulatory approval to begin testing its robotaxis with passengers, a move that comes as the U.S. considers restricting Chinese technology in vehicles.
California Approves WeRide Testing Amid US Tech Concerns
The utility regulator in California has granted permission to the Chinese autonomous driving startup WeRide to conduct passenger testing of its vehicles.
This comes at a time when the United States is planning to prohibit automobiles equipped with technologies built in China, as per sources familiar with the situation, and the company is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) in New York that could fetch a price of $5 billion.
WeRide Restricted from Collecting Payments in California
This month, WeRide received three-year permission from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to test both driverless and self-driving test cars. There will be no way for WeRide to collect payments from customers or provide trips to anyone in the general public.
CPUC informed Reuters that WeRide will serve San Jose and the surrounding areas with its fleet of twelve operating cars.
Due to public outcry, bureaucratic roadblocks, and resistance from local agencies, developing and commercializing robotaxis in the United States has been more challenging than anticipated.
According to Yahoo Finance, only Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet with 700 vehicles, operates unmanned robotaxis that collect fares in the United States.
Cruise Robotaxi Accident Resumed Testing in April
After a pedestrian was injured by one of General Motors' Cruise vehicles last year, testing with safety drivers resumed in April.
In 2021, WeRide, which was established in 2017, was granted permission by the state of California to conduct unaccompanied vehicle testing. The business has driverless permits in both Singapore and the UAE; it also manufactures autonomous buses, street sweepers, and vans.
Reuters asked WeRide for more information, but the company did not immediately respond.


Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports
Hims & Hers Halts Compounded Semaglutide Pill After FDA Warning
TSMC Eyes 3nm Chip Production in Japan with $17 Billion Kumamoto Investment
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences
Oracle Plans $45–$50 Billion Funding Push in 2026 to Expand Cloud and AI Infrastructure
Amazon Stock Rebounds After Earnings as $200B Capex Plan Sparks AI Spending Debate
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says AI Investment Boom Is Just Beginning as NVDA Shares Surge
Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch
SpaceX Reports $8 Billion Profit as IPO Plans and Starlink Growth Fuel Valuation Buzz
AMD Shares Slide Despite Earnings Beat as Cautious Revenue Outlook Weighs on Stock
Elon Musk’s Empire: SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI Merger Talks Spark Investor Debate
SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates
Sony Q3 Profit Jumps on Gaming and Image Sensors, Full-Year Outlook Raised
SoftBank Shares Slide After Arm Earnings Miss Fuels Tech Stock Sell-Off
Baidu Approves $5 Billion Share Buyback and Plans First-Ever Dividend in 2026
Tencent Shares Slide After WeChat Restricts YuanBao AI Promotional Links
SpaceX Updates Starlink Privacy Policy to Allow AI Training as xAI Merger Talks and IPO Loom 



