Beijing (ZXZC)- Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide has received approval to test its driverless vehicles with passengers carried in California. In August, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) granted WeRide two crucial permits, including a pilot permit with drivers onboard and a driverless pilot permit.

Robotaxi; photo credit: WeRide

Both permits allow WeRide to test its autonomous vehicles on public roads in California while carrying passengers—the former requiring a human safety driver, while the latter does not. However, these permits do not yet allow WeRide to charge passengers, and the service is not open to the public.

WeRide has not disclosed whether it has begun transporting passengers using its autonomous vehicles in California. A CPUC spokesperson confirmed that WeRide is authorized to conduct testing in San Jose and its surrounding areas, with 12 vehicles currently in operation.

Since obtaining a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in 2021, WeRide has conducted autonomous driving tests without passengers on San Jose's roads. In 2023, WeRide's autonomous vehicles logged 42,391 miles in California.

On July 26, WeRide officially submitted its IPO application to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), planning to list on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "WRD." As a leading autonomous driving startup in China, WeRide's portfolio includes autonomous taxis (Robotaxi), minibuses (Robobus), freight vehicles (Robovan), sanitation vehicles (Robosweeper), and advanced intelligent driving solutions.