Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 4, Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide announced the launch of its GXR Robotaxi in Guangzhou's Huangpu district, marking the start of around-the-clock, fully driverless commercial operations.
Passengers can hail a vehicle at any point in the district and travel directly to their chosen destination, offering an anytime, anywhere mobility service. This milestone makes WeRide the first in the industry to provide a point-to-point, driverless ride-hailing service in the core area of a leading Chinese megacity, further underscoring its global leadership and operational expertise in the Robotaxi sector.
WeRide's progress has been strikingly fast. Since unveiling the GXR model in October 2024, the company has cleared road testing, regulatory approvals, and operating licenses in less than a year. Within just 11 months, it transitioned from supervised commercial trials to full driverless deployment—an achievement it calls part of its signature "WeRide speed."
Huangpu district, a hub for Guangzhou's innovation and international investment, hosts technology companies, research centers, and multinational projects. With a concentration of business, retail, leisure, and cultural venues, the district generates strong and diverse transportation needs, making it an ideal proving ground for autonomous ride-hailing.
The GXR is WeRide's mass-production Robotaxi, purpose-built for urban mobility and capable of Level 4 autonomous driving in commercial settings. It runs on the company's HPC 3.0 platform, the world's first to integrate NVIDIA's DRIVE Thor X chip, delivering more than 2,000 trillion operations per second. A new sensor suite, designed to detect pedestrians, weaving traffic, or late-night roadwork in challenging conditions such as fog, rain, or snow, gives the vehicle enhanced perception. Together with redundant systems covering chassis, computing, and braking, the GXR is engineered for safe, reliable operation under complex city traffic at any time of day.
Passenger comfort has been a key focus of the GXR. The cabin offers one of the longest wheelbases in its class, ensuring generous interior space. Features include wide entry and exit areas, a dedicated luggage zone, VIP second-row seating, and a spacious third row that can accommodate up to five passengers in total. Additional conveniences such as voice-activated sliding doors, entertainment screens with music streaming, and app-based remote climate control highlight the vehicle's emphasis on flexibility and comfort.
WeRide has a long history in Guangzhou. Back in November 2019, it became the first company in China to offer a commercial Robotaxi service open to the public, initially covering 145 square kilometers of Huangpu district. By May 2025, its network had expanded to link major city landmarks such as Canton Tower, the Canton Fair Complex, and Zhujiang New Town, as well as key national transport hubs including Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Guangzhou South Railway Station.
