Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On May 20, autonomous driving technology company WeRide signed an expanded strategic cooperation agreement with Tencent Cloud, aiming to advance long-term collaboration in large-scale commercial deployment of Robotaxi services, intelligent driving technology development, and international market expansion.
Under the new agreement, the two parties will jointly promote the scale commercial operation of L4 Robotaxi services. They also plan to explore future integration of WeRide's Robotaxi services into Tencent applications such as WeChat's mobility service interface and Tencent Maps, offering users a safer, more convenient, and more comfortable autonomous travel experience. Tencent will further support WeRide with cloud computing and mapping data services across its technology R&D and commercial operations.
In support of WeRide's global ambitions, the companies will co-develop smart driving solutions tailored for overseas markets. Leveraging Tencent Cloud's global infrastructure and operational experience, WeRide will gain access to localized, compliant cloud services that facilitate the establishment of a robust and efficient global autonomous driving network. This partnership is expected to accelerate the commercial rollout of WeRide's autonomous driving products in international markets, where the company already enjoys a first-mover advantage.
The two sides will also collaborate on a data-driven platform that integrates cloud and mapping capabilities, aiming to build end-to-end data compliance solutions. This will further speed up the R&D and mass production of intelligent driving technologies.
In April 2024, WeRide and Tencent Cloud signed their initial strategic cooperation agreement, launching in-depth technical integration around autonomous driving cloud platforms. Their joint efforts have focused on delivering advanced assisted driving solutions to support global OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in their digital transformation. In the first phase of their collaboration, the two companies achieved substantial results across cloud computing, HD mapping data services, and compliance. Backed by Tencent's compliant cloud infrastructure and mapping support, WeRide and Bosch set a record by completing the development and in-car deployment of a production-ready assisted driving system in just 18 months.
