Qiming Venture Partners | WeRide secures French driverless permit, becoming the only autonomous driving tech company with licenses in five countries
From application to final approval, WeRide and beti took just three months — a record for autonomous driving companies obtaining permits in France. It also means WeRide has met the highest standards in Europe for technical safety validation and operational program design.
Recently, WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD), a Qiming Venture Partners portfolio company and a global leader in autonomous driving technology, announced a partnership with beti, a French autonomous mobility network operator, to obtain a French permit for pure driverless public road testing and commercial operations (hereinafter referred to as "the permit"). This makes WeRide the first and, to date, the only technology company in the world to hold autonomous driving permits in five countries — China, the UAE, Singapore, France, and the United States — demonstrating its strong technical adaptability across international markets and its mature compliance, safety, and operational reliability.
WeRide Robobus providing shuttle services in Valence, Drôme, France
France is known for its rigorous autonomous driving legislative framework. Under the PACTE Act enacted in 2019, permit applications must undergo a joint review coordinated by the Directorate General for Energy and Climate, involving multiple ministries including the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Ecological Transition. Technical documentation, safety protocols, and operational plans are all subject to comprehensive examination and evaluation. From application to final approval, WeRide and beti completed the process in just three months, setting a record for autonomous driving companies obtaining permits in France, and indicating that WeRide has met the highest standards in Europe for technical safety validation and operational planning.
The permit allows WeRide's autonomous minibuses to operate at 40 km/h, the highest speed approved in France for pure driverless road testing and commercial operations.
On February 27, WeRide, together with beti, the Renault Group, and Macif, launched Europe's first public road autonomous minibus commercial operation project in Valence, Drôme, France. The newly obtained permit provides strong regulatory support for the smooth operation of this project. The four parties expect to achieve remote-assisted, one-to-many pure driverless commercial operations by July this year.
WeRide Robobus providing shuttle services in Valence, Drôme, France
As a benchmark for autonomous driving companies expanding globally and a leader in international expansion, WeRide has conducted autonomous driving R&D, testing, and operations in 30 cities across 10 countries. Its mass-produced products, including robotaxi, robobus, and robosweeper, have been deployed in France, Spain, Switzerland, Singapore, the UAE, Japan, and other countries.
WeRide's autonomous driving products deployed in multiple countries
WeRide maintains an open and collaborative approach, working with local partners worldwide to advance its business. Its strategic partners include Uber, the world's largest mobility and delivery technology platform; the Renault Group, a top-tier global OEM; beti, a leading European autonomous mobility network operator; CTM, a leading environmental services company in Singapore; Zurich Airport, one of Europe's busiest airports; and Macif, a top French insurance provider.
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Qiming Venture Partners was founded in 2006. The firm currently manages 11 USD funds and 7 RMB funds, with total assets under management reaching $9.5 billion. Since its inception, Qiming Venture Partners has focused on investing in outstanding early- and growth-stage companies in the Technology and Consumer (T&C) and Healthcare sectors.
To date, Qiming Venture Partners has invested in over 580 high-growth innovative companies. More than 210 of these have gone public on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Shanghai Stock Exchange, and Shenzhen Stock Exchange, or exited through mergers and acquisitions. Over 80 portfolio companies have become recognized unicorns or super-unicorns.
Many Qiming Venture Partners portfolio companies have grown into the most influential companies in their respective fields, including Xiaomi (01810.HK), Meituan (03690.HK), Bilibili (NASDAQ: BILI, 09626.HK), Zhihu (NYSE: ZH, 02390.HK), Roborock (688169.SH), UBTECH (09880.HK), WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD), Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals (603087.SH), Tigermed (300347.SZ, 03347.HK), Zai Lab (NASDAQ: ZLAB, 09688.HK), CanSino Biologics (688185.SH, 06185.HK), Schrödinger (NASDAQ: SDGR), MicroPort EP MedTech (688617.SH), Sanyou Medical (688085.SH), Amoy Diagnostics (300685.SZ), Berry Genomics (000710.SZ), Sinocelltech (688520.SH), Yuanxin Technology, ClinChoice, Belief BioMed, Biren Technology, and others.