In autonomous and self-driving vehicle news are
WeRide, Pony.ai, AEye and Lyft.
In this Article
Plus the recent Lyft autonomous shuttle announcement published earlier, today.
WeRide 1st Mass-Produced L4 Robotaxi on NVIDIA Thor
WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD), in partnership with Lenovo and powered by NVIDIA’s DRIVE AGX Thor chips, has unveiled its HPC 3.0 high-performance computing platform — the most powerful to date for Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving. Debuting in the new Robotaxi GXR, HPC 3.0 becomes the first mass-produced L4 vehicle platform built on NVIDIA’s Thor architecture. It delivers up to 2,000 TOPS of AI compute using a dual-chip configuration and DriveOS, while cutting the autonomous driving suite cost by 50% and reducing total cost of ownership by 84% compared to the previous HPC 2.0.
The system consolidates key modules, increases integration, and meets top global automotive standards (AEC-Q100, ISO 26262, IATF 16949). With a design rated for 10 years or 300,000 km and harsh environments, HPC 3.0 supports WeRide’s global commercial deployment ambitions. Executives from WeRide, Lenovo, and NVIDIA praised the collaboration for advancing safe, scalable L4 autonomy.
This milestone reinforces WeRide’s leadership in autonomous mobility, building on over 2,000 days of public road operation and setting the stage for expanding its platform to other autonomous vehicles like Robobus and Robosweeper worldwide.
WeRide Launches Level 4 Robotaxi Service in Shanghai
WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD), a global autonomous driving leader, has received a permit from Shanghai’s municipal government to operate Level 4 (L4) autonomous Robotaxi ride-hailing services. Announced during WAIC 2025, this marks WeRide’s official expansion into its tenth global city. The service, offered in collaboration with Chery Group and Jinjiang Taxi, will operate on public roads in Pudong New Area, connecting major transport hubs and attractions including Shanghai Disney Resort and Pudong International Airport.
WeRide, Chery, and Jinjiang launched WAIC’s only fully mass-produced, pre-installed L4 Robotaxi shuttle service, bookable via the “Jinjiang Smart Mobility” WeChat mini-program. The featured Robotaxi model — the CER — is based on WeRide’s universal autonomous platform and EXEED’s STERRA ET EV architecture. It includes over 20 sensors, multiple redundant safety systems, and is built for long-distance, high-frequency driverless transport.
Founded in 2017, WeRide operates in over 30 cities across 10 countries and holds autonomous permits in five major markets. With 2,000+ days of safe operations under its belt, WeRide plans to expand partnerships and further commercial deployments, helping cities worldwide embrace safer, smarter mobility.
Pony.ai Driverless Commercial Robotaxis in China
Pony.ai (Nasdaq: PONY), a global autonomous mobility leader, has been granted a permit to operate fully driverless commercial Robotaxi services in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area. Announced at WAIC 2025, this approval makes Pony.ai the only company authorized for such operations in all four of China’s tier-one cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
The company will begin offering driverless ride-hailing in Shanghai’s Jinqiao and Huamu business districts, with plans for broader expansion. The permit signals regulatory confidence in Pony.ai’s technology and safety standards, reinforcing its leadership in large-scale Robotaxi commercialization.
Pudong’s strategic location—home to global corporations, financial centers, and innovation hubs—positions Pony.ai to tap into high-value user segments and drive future growth. This milestone reflects both Pony.ai’s operational maturity and its role in shaping the future of urban autonomous transportation in China.
Pony.ai Testing in Beijing
Pony.ai announced that its seventh-generation (Gen-7) BAIC Robotaxi model has begun road testing in Beijing’s High-Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone. Alongside concurrent testing of Gen-7 BAIC and GAC Robotaxi models in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, this multi-city rollout underscores the adaptability and reliability of Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system across diverse urban environments and vehicle platforms.
The company is advancing toward large-scale production and aims to expand its autonomous fleet to 1,000 vehicles by the end of 2025, supporting its goal of broad commercial deployment. Pony.ai leverages its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology to integrate software, hardware, and services, working toward sustainable mass production and deployment of autonomous mobility solutions globally.
AEye’s Apollo Lidar NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Platform
AEye, Inc. announced that its flagship Apollo lidar has been fully integrated into NVIDIA’s DRIVE AGX platform, a key step toward bringing AEye’s high-performance, software-defined lidar to global automakers. This partnership gives AEye direct access to NVIDIA’s extensive autonomous driving ecosystem and enhances its commercial scalability across next-generation driver assistance and self-driving technologies.
Apollo, part of AEye’s 4Sight™ Flex family, offers 1-kilometer range, compact design, and behind-the-windshield integration—making it well-suited for advanced automotive applications. As a software-defined lidar, Apollo supports over-the-air updates, aligning with the evolving, connected nature of modern vehicles.
AEye CEO Matt Fisch called the NVIDIA certification a “strong validation” of Apollo’s capabilities and teased more details on AEye’s July 31 earnings call, including the upcoming OPTIS solution aimed at broader mobility and safety sectors.