Major companies crackdown on Robotaxi, can WeRide maintain its "first-mover advantage"?

If you’re trading stocks, just look at the Golden Qilin analyst research reports—authoritative, professional, timely, and comprehensive—helping you uncover high-potential theme opportunities!

（Source: NetEase Technology）

Since 2025, when Robotaxi entered its first year of large-scale commercial operations, the capital market’s standards for autonomous driving companies have been shifting from simply “technological competition” to the practical results of “commercial monetization.”

As one of the leading players in China’s Robotaxi sector, WeRide was the first to show its performance results.

In 2025, WeRide’s revenue was 690 million yuan, up 90% year over year. Of that, fourth-quarter revenue was 314 million yuan, up 123% year over year; in the same period, net losses were 1.66 billion yuan, narrowing by more than 30% year over year.

The strong growth in performance is primarily driven by the accelerated scaling-up of its Robotaxi business.

In 2025, WeRide’s Robotaxi-related products and services revenue reached 148 million yuan, up 209.6% year over year.

By the end of 2025, WeRide’s global Robotaxi fleet reached 1,125 vehicles, setting a record high.

But as the Robotaxi business model is gradually getting fully operational, the sector is becoming increasingly crowded.

Previously, domestic Robotaxi participants mainly centered on three autonomous driving technology companies: Luobo KuaiPao, Pony.ai, and WeRide. However, since 2025, ride-hailing platforms represented by Didi, CaoCao Chuxing, Hellobike, and Amap, as well as automakers represented by XPeng, have all joined the battle, raising market concerns about the competitive pressure WeRide may face in the future.

In response, WeRide management said during a phone call on the evening of March 23: “For an autonomous driving taxi business from the L2 to L4 level, it needs to obtain safety operating qualifications and pass continuous capability verifications. This includes hardware maturity, system architecture, and approvals from regulatory authorities. These are all hurdles that competitors must overcome one by one. In this regard, we have accumulated extensive experience and have clear advantages in the L4 autonomous driving taxi business. We welcome competitors to join this highly competitive market.”

According to its plan, WeRide expects that by the end of 2026, its global Robotaxi scale will expand to 2,600 vehicles, with a long-term vision to reach tens of thousands of vehicles deployed globally before 2030.

In this process, overseas markets have become a key engine supporting WeRide’s plan.

Currently, WeRide is accelerating global penetration through deep cooperation with Uber. As management disclosed during the phone call, it is expected that by 2027, the size of the jointly operated vehicle fleet on the platform could reach over one thousand vehicles.

Currently, WeRide’s overseas market efforts to advance Robotaxi operations are mainly carried out through its partnership with Uber.

As WeRide management disclosed during the phone call, regarding cooperation with Uber, it is expected that by 2027, the scale of the jointly operated fleet could reach over one thousand vehicles.

In addition, regarding the highly watched Middle East market, management said that all business lines are steadily progressing,

“ We have already obtained city-level licenses for Abu Dhabi, and this year we will start operations in Dubai. In these two important cities in the Middle East, we have already secured the required licenses—this is a good starting point. ” WeRide noted, “From a regulatory perspective, a strong safety record and good relationships with partners will also help us expand faster. At present, we are closely monitoring business development and expansion, working closely with local and overseas teams, and continuing to grow the fleet size. As of now, there is no shortage of materials that would affect our business advancement, and everything remains under our control.”

The rapid growth in revenue and the substantial narrowing of losses have given WeRide more “supplies” for the capital-intensive, long-cycle autonomous driving sector.

But it cannot be denied that, with mobility giants and new car-making forces entering one after another, competition in the domestic market is further intensifying.

In the second half of autonomous driving, the real commercial ranking race has only just begun.

A wealth of news, precise interpretation—everything on Sina Finance APP