WeRide has received France's Level-4 driverless public road testing and operating permit, in a joint application with leading French autonomous mobility network operator beti. WeRide (and beti) is now the first and only technology company in the world with driverless permits in five countries, including China, the UAE, Singapore, France, and the USA.

The process to obtain a driverless permit in France, under the 2019 PACTE law, is significantly stricter than any other permit in the world, and requires an approval process involving multiple ministries and the Director General for Energy and Climate (DGEC). This process requires a detailed technical document, detailed safety protocols and detailed operational plans to be approved.

WeRide and beti were able to start and complete this process in three months - a new record for the fastest driverless permit approval in France. Now that WeRide has obtained this driverless permit from DGEC in France, the driverless minibus can operate at speeds of 40km/h - the highest speed driverless permit issued in France to date.

Dedicated to creating an open and collaborative ecosystem, WeRide has formed strategic alliances with leading companies in the mobility and logistics technology space, including Uber, the world’s largest mobility and delivery technology company; Renault Group, a top-tier global OEM; beti, a leading European operator of mobility networks with autonomous vehicles; CTM, Singapore’s Tier 1 environmental services provider; Zurich Airport, one of Europe's busiest transport hubs; and Macif, a leading insurance provider in France.