WeRide's autonomous vehicle becomes the first in Southeast Asia to operate without a safety officer on board. [Photo provided by WeRide]

WeRide, a major player in autonomous driving based in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town), recently announced that its autonomous shuttle bus, Robobus, has started fully autonomous operations at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in Singapore, becoming the first autonomous vehicle in Southeast Asia to operate without a safety officer on board.

At RWS in Singapore, WeRide's Robobus connects several key locations. The vehicle operates along a fixed loop route, completing the journey in approximately 12 minutes. During its operation, Robobus is equipped with a perception system comprising multiple sensor modules such as LiDAR and cameras, enabling a 360-degree, up to 200-meter perception capability without blind spots

WeRide's Robobus, the pioneering autonomous vehicle in Singapore devoid of traditional controls, has been operating regularly on public roads even before securing official approval for fully autonomous operations. Since June 2024, Robobus has successfully transported tens of thousands of passengers at RWS, executing numerous autonomous shuttle services. After rigorous remote operation testing, on-road trials, and safety assessments, WeRide ultimately obtained approval from the Land Transport Authority of Singapore to officially introduce fully autonomous shuttle services to the public.

The commencement of fully autonomous operations of the Robobus in Singapore marks a significant milestone for WeRide and the advancement of smart mobility in Southeast Asia. This milestone also signifies a new phase in WeRide's technological validation and operational deployment in Singapore.