Robotics testing in California has been

permitted for a Chinese business.

 

 

More robotaxis, more problems.

According to Reuters, WeRide, a Chinese firm, has been granted authorisation to test-drive its autonomous car fleet in California.

The licence is subject to additional important limitations.

The news agency claims that WeRide is not permitted to accept fares or provide public transit for the duration of the three-year concession. WeRide will be testing its fleet of just 12 cars in and around San Jose, either with or without a corporate driver operating the vehicle and transporting company personnel as passengers.

WeRide, a competitor and Google offshoot that has gained traction as a robotaxi service in San Francisco and now Los Angeles, is making its way onto the congested streets of California. Waymo, a competitor, already holds permits for robotaxis in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

WeRide’s attempt to enter the California market is yet to be seen as successful. Regulators and the general public have differing opinions about robotaxis.

An example of this is the fact that last year, a woman became trapped beneath one of General Motors’ robotaxis, forcing the company to remove the entire fleet from the road.

In Phoenix, Arizona, Cruise is relaunching its robotaxis this year, but this time there will be human drivers present.

Additionally, 22 crashes involving Waymo robotaxis are being looked into by federal officials because the robotaxis “exhibited driving behaviour that potentially violated traffic safety laws.”

The inquiry comes after widely shared videos of a Waymo robotaxi crossing the street on the wrong side went viral.

Residents of San Francisco were not amused by the fact that a Waymo robotaxi drove over and killed a dog in the city last year; in fact, some are advocating for the state of California to outlaw robotaxis altogether.

In other words, based on past performance, we anticipate that WeRide’s journey will be rocky.