Autonomous driving technology company WeRide has strengthened its partnership with Farizon, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, to accelerate the rollout of next-generation robotaxis worldwide.
The two companies have signed an expanded strategic cooperation agreement that will see 2,000 upgraded, purpose-built Robotaxi GXR vehicles delivered by 2026, marking a major step toward large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility.
Scaling Up the Global Robotaxi Fleet
During the signing ceremony, the partners also revealed the upgraded Robotaxi GXR, which is scheduled to enter production in the third quarter of 2026.
As of January 2026, WeRide’s global robotaxi fleet consisted of 1,023 vehicles. With the addition of the 2,000 new GXRs, the company expects its active robotaxi fleet to exceed 2,600 vehicles this year. This expansion supports WeRide’s long-term goal of operating tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles globally by 2030.
Powered by WeRide’s GEN8 Autonomous Driving System
The next-generation GXR robotaxi is built around WeRide’s latest GEN8 autonomous driving platform, featuring the company’s Sensor Suite 8.0 (SS8.0).
Key improvements include:
– Thousand-line LiDAR technology delivering 17× higher point cloud resolution
– Detection range up to 600 meters, two to three times greater than typical industry solutions
– Over 70% more reaction time in high-speed driving scenarios
These enhancements allow the vehicle to detect road conditions earlier, identify smaller obstacles, and react faster to fast-moving hazards. The system is also designed to maintain stable perception in adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and dense fog, ensuring reliable all-weather autonomous operation.
Faster Manufacturing and Lower Costs
The Robotaxi GXR is built on Farizon’s AI-enabled drive-by-wire chassis and benefits from the company’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
By leveraging Farizon’s production capabilities and supply chain network, the partners have achieved major efficiency improvements:
– Vehicle assembly time reduced from one hour to under 10 minutes
– Total vehicle cost expected to drop by an additional 15%
These cost and efficiency gains are crucial for scaling robotaxi fleets and making autonomous ride services commercially viable.
Expanding Robotaxi Services Worldwide
The collaboration builds on a successful deployment track record. In October 2024, WeRide introduced the mass-produced GXR robotaxi, developed on Farizon’s SuperVAN platform.
Commercial operations have expanded rapidly since then:
– Fully driverless robotaxi services launched in Beijing and Guangzhou
– Autonomous services currently operating in Abu Dhabi
– Public passenger services available in Dubai and Riyadh, with driverless operations expected in Dubai soon
– Trial operations underway in Singapore, with public launch planned for April 1, 2026
With new vehicles on the way and an expanding operational footprint across China, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe, WeRide is positioning its robotaxi platform for large-scale global deployment.
According to WeRide founder and CEO Tony Han, the deepened partnership marks a shift from a product-focused collaboration to a fully integrated ecosystem combining advanced autonomous technology with high-efficiency manufacturing.
Meanwhile, Mike Fan emphasized that the alliance highlights Farizon’s strategic transformation toward “intelligent manufacturing + services,” enabling reliable large-scale production of purpose-built Level 4 autonomous vehicles.
Together, the two companies aim to accelerate the global rollout of safe, scalable, and accessible autonomous mobility solutions.
