WeRide (NASDAQ:WRD) tapped Shenzhen Bus Group to launch Shenzhen’s first fully driverless Level 4 Robobus line in Luohu District, operating in the city’s humming central business district.

The B888 line debuted as a “birthday gift” to mark Shenzhen’s 45th anniversary as China’s first Special Economic Zone, highlighting the city’s push toward smart and sustainable transportation.

Running between Luohu Port and MixC Market, the route offers rides that last 30–35 minutes, covering 6.6 km outbound and 4.3 km on the return, while passing major landmarks such as Guomao, Di Wang Tower, and Shenzhen Grand Theater.

Also Read: WeRide Lands Grab Investment To Speed Robotaxi Rollout In Southeast Asia

Equipped with over 20 sensors, including LiDAR and HD cameras, the Robobus provides 360-degree perception up to 200 meters, reads complex traffic signals, predicts vehicle and pedestrian movement, and precisely navigates dense urban traffic.

It adjusts in real time for safe boarding, maintains traffic flow, and features full redundancy across hardware and software systems to ensure maximum safety.

The B888 line is part of Shenzhen’s “20+8” industrial cluster strategy, advancing the city’s intelligent vehicle network development plan.

WeRide has tested or operated Robobuses in nearly 30 global cities, including Beijing, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Zurich, and plans to expand autonomous shuttle services worldwide across diverse scenarios, accelerating the adoption of autonomous mobility solutions.

WeRide’s shares have tumbled more than 32% so far this year, underscoring the mounting pressure on electric vehicle companies as competition intensifies and U.S. policy shifts erode incentives. The Trump administration’s rollback of federal EV credits has added to the sector’s challenges, further straining investor sentiment.

Despite the downturn, WeRide is pressing ahead with a series of initiatives designed to strengthen its position in autonomous driving. The company recently introduced WePilot AiDrive, an end-to-end advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) developed in partnership with Bosch. The platform, which promises faster response times and greater fault tolerance, is slated for mass production in 2025.

WeRide is also accelerating its international push. The company has forged new alliances in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, highlighted by a strategic equity investment from Singapore-based Grab Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRAB) to advance its Robotaxi rollout. In the Gulf region, Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is backing the growth of WeRide’s autonomous fleet in Abu Dhabi, reinforcing its expansion strategy across key global markets.

Price Action: WRD shares are trading higher by 0.84% to $9.60 premarket at last check Tuesday.

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