WeRide Inc. (NYSE:WRD), a global autonomous driving technology company, has become the first to receive a permit to operate driverless taxis in Saudi Arabia. The milestone allows the company to scale commercial deployment of its Robotaxi services across the Kingdom, beginning with a pilot program in Riyadh.

The approval places WeRide among an elite group of mobility firms with autonomous driving permits in six nations, including China, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, France, and the United States.

Earlier this month, WeRide launched its pilot Robotaxi service in Riyadh in collaboration with Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) and local partner Ai Driver. The service connects King Khalid International Airport to key parts of the capital, including highways and central business areas. A full commercial rollout is scheduled before the end of 2025.

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The permit was formally granted at a ceremony attended by Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, and Jennifer Li, WeRide’s CFO and Head of International.

The approval followed a successful evaluation under the Transport General Authority’s Regulatory Sandbox, which included safety and performance testing. “This permit marks a major step in our global expansion,” said Li, emphasizing its role in enabling scalable, revenue-generating deployments.

Since entering Saudi Arabia in May 2025, WeRide has also deployed its Robobus and Robosweeper S1 across key locations such as King Fahad Medical City, AlUla, and Aramco residential communities. The Robosweeper project represents the first monetized autonomous sanitation service in the Middle East.

Two days prior to the Saudi announcement, WeRide secured regulatory approval in Shanghai to offer Level 4 Robotaxi ride-hailing services. In partnership with Chery Group and Jinjiang Taxi, the company launched a shuttle program during WAIC 2025, connecting sites like the World Expo Center and Shanghai Disney Resort. The Shanghai permit marked WeRide’s official entry into its tenth global city.

In a separate push for regional growth, WeRide recently received approval to operate its driverless Robobus service in Singapore. The move strengthens its Asian footprint and underscores its commitment to scaling autonomous public transit systems.

Relevant ETFs include the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (NASDAQ:DRIV) and the iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (NYSE:KSA).

Price Action: WRD shares are trading higher by 7.93% at $11.16 premarket at the last check on Monday.

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