WeRide was described as the first robotaxi company to list on a stock market. Its cars, buses, vans, and street sweepers drove themselves, and by its IPO they were operating or testing in 30 cities across seven countries. The company was born in Silicon Valley and grew up in Guangzhou. It went public in October 2024, raising about $440 million, and priced at the bottom of its range.

From Baidu to Guangzhou

Tony Xu Han had been chief scientist of Baidu's self-driving unit. He founded WeRide in 2017 with Yan Li, who became chief technology officer. The company started in Silicon Valley and made Guangzhou its home. The bet was to build one driving system and put it in many kinds of vehicles, from taxis to sweepers. WeRide says it was the first company in the world to sell robotaxi rides to the public.

Driverless in Dubai

WeRide priced at $15.50 a share, the low end of its range, on October 24, 2024. It began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker WRD and rose about 7 percent on its first day. A partnership with Uber put its robotaxis on the Uber app, starting in Abu Dhabi. In April 2026 WeRide began fully driverless, paid rides in Dubai. It is still public on the Nasdaq.

Cover: Riderless Horse, Charles Parrocel. Art Institute of Chicago, public domain. Chosen for a riderless horse (no one at the wheel).