Chinese autonomous vehicle startup WeRide has received approval to test its driverless cars with passengers in California. This milestone comes as WeRide prepares for a U.S. stock market debut, aiming for a valuation close to $5 billion. The approval coincides with reports that the U.S. Commerce Department is considering a ban on Chinese connected vehicles, including autonomous ones, due to national security concerns.

As of August 2, WeRide holds two permits from the California Public Utilities Commission: one for drivered pilot testing and another for driverless pilot testing. These permits allow WeRide to test its vehicles on public roads with passengers, though they cannot yet charge for rides, and the service is not available to the general public.

WeRide has not disclosed whether it has started transporting passengers. A CPUC spokesperson confirmed that WeRide is permitted to test in San Jose and nearby areas, with 12 active vehicles currently listed.

Since 2021, WeRide has been testing its autonomous vehicles without passengers on public roads in San Jose, following permits from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. However, the company's progress in California has been slow, with its vehicles covering only 42,391 miles autonomously in 2023, compared to Waymo's 9 million miles.

WeRide has not provided detailed plans for commercialization in California. Its CPUC permit specifies that WeRide is limited to vehicles seating fewer than 16 people, including the driver. This restriction, not present in permits for Waymo, Cruise, or Zoox, may relate to WeRide's different vehicle types, including a robotaxi and a robobus seating up to 10 passengers.

WeRide claims to be the first autonomous driving company operating and testing in 30 cities across seven countries. The startup holds permits for autonomous driving on public roads in China, Singapore, the UAE, and the U.S. Besides its robotaxi and robobus, WeRide is developing a robovan for goods delivery, a robotic street sweeper, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).