WeRide Inc. (WRD) shares climbed Wednesday after announcing something pretty remarkable: Switzerland just handed over its first-ever driverless robotaxi permit. That's right - no safety driver, no human backup, just autonomous vehicles doing their thing on public roads.
The permit comes from Switzerland's Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) and authorizes fully autonomous operations in the Furttal region. This isn't just a big deal for WeRide - it's a milestone for Switzerland, which has never before allowed a robotaxi to operate commercially without someone ready to grab the wheel.
Eight Countries and Counting
Here's where it gets interesting: WeRide is now the only company worldwide with autonomous driving approvals in eight countries. That's a pretty exclusive club. The list includes Switzerland, China, the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Singapore, France, Belgium, and the United States. If you're keeping score at home, that's a geographically diverse portfolio of regulatory wins.
What This Actually Means
Under the new permit, WeRide's robotaxis will operate through the "iamo" pilot program. Once they're done testing, the fleet will cover 110 kilometers with 460 stops, cruising at speeds up to 80 km/h. For now, trials with safety drivers are running across Furttal to make sure everything meets Swiss regulations - because nobody wants to skip that step.
Once approved, Eurobus will handle remote monitoring of the vehicles. Fully autonomous passenger service is expected to kick off in the first half of 2026. WeRide also plans to expand beyond robotaxis, eventually adding robobuses to create Switzerland's first mixed autonomous fleet.
Building Momentum
This permit caps off a busy stretch for WeRide. Last week, the company and Grab Holdings Limited (GRAB) got the green light from Singapore's Land Transport Authority to start autonomous vehicle testing in the Punggol district. That partnership brings WeRide's full Autonomously Intelligent Ride fleet to Singapore's streets.
Earlier this month, WeRide also announced that its one-stage, end-to-end Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) - developed alongside Bosch - officially entered mass production. So they're not just testing robotaxis in exotic locales; they're also scaling up driver-assist technology for everyday vehicles.
Price Action: WRD shares rose 3.78% to $7.420 in premarket trading on Thursday.
