Autonomous Vehicle Updates: WeRide, Waymo, INFRA, and Nissan Lead the Charge in Self-Driving Technology Advancements
In the rapidly evolving world of autonomous vehicles, three major players - WeRide, Waymo, and Nissan - are making significant strides in expanding their services worldwide.
WeRide
WeRide, a leading autonomous driving technology company, sees its trial in Barcelona as a key step in its European expansion. The company is not only focusing on autonomous taxis but also venturing into sectors like ride-hailing, sanitation, and smart logistics.
Recent developments include the launch of the HPC 3.0 high-performance computing platform, aimed at supporting Level 4 autonomous vehicles across various models like the Robobus and Robosweeper. WeRide has also secured a permit for an autonomous robotaxi service in Shanghai and plans to deploy autonomous technologies in sectors such as ride-hailing, sanitation, and smart logistics.
The company's commercial robotaxi services have been expanded in Abu Dhabi and Beijing, and new robobus services have been launched in Europe. WeRide has also introduced the robovan W5 for logistics. In 2025, the company plans to test its autonomous vehicles in up to 10 new cities across the U.S., including Las Vegas and San Diego.
Waymo
While specific recent expansion plans for Waymo are not available, the company is a leading developer of autonomous driving technology and has been actively involved in deploying autonomous taxis in the United States. Waymo's expansion efforts typically focus on scaling its autonomous vehicle fleets and expanding its service areas.
In 2024, Waymo began offering robotaxi rides to passengers in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, and parts of Sunnyvale, expanding its footprint in Silicon Valley. The company's growth in 2025 includes a partnership with Uber in Austin, Texas, and a collaboration with Moove in Miami. Waymo has also expanded its commercial presence with 24/7 availability of autonomous vehicles.
Nissan
The search results do not provide specific details on Nissan's current expansion plans for autonomous vehicle services. However, Nissan has been involved in autonomous driving research and development, often collaborating with other companies to advance autonomous technologies.
The Nissan evolvAD research project involved a 93-year-old retired comedy scriptwriter, Brad Ashton, who praised the autonomous driving technology for its potential to keep older drivers mobile. The project aimed to improve mobility, safety, and accessibility for all.
In summary, WeRide is actively expanding its autonomous driving technologies globally, focusing on Level 4 vehicles and services across various sectors. Waymo continues to be a major player in the U.S. autonomous taxi market, with ongoing efforts to scale its services. Nissan's expansion plans are not detailed in the search results, but it remains a participant in the broader development of autonomous vehicle technologies. Waymo's valuation has reached $45 billion following a $5.6 billion funding round, while WeRide achieved record robotaxi revenue in 2024 and deployed end-to-end models for Level-4 driverless and ADAS systems.
- WeRide's expansion strategy involves not only extending its autonomous taxi services but also exploring opportunities in sectors like ride-hailing, sanitation, and smart logistics, ultimately aiming to deploy its technology across multiple domains.
- The autonomous driving technology developed by Waymo is currently being utilized in scaling its autonomous vehicle fleets and expanding service areas, primarily in the United States.
