WeRide, a China-based autonomous driving technology firm, announced last Friday that Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading superapp, has committed to a strategic equity investment in WeRide.

The duo said in a statement that the investment is part of a strategic partnership between both companies to accelerate the deployment and commercialization of Level 4 Robotaxis and shuttles in Southeast Asia, and reflects a shared vision to seamlessly integrate WeRide’s autonomous vehicles (AVs) into Grab’s network to enhance service and safety levels.

Grab’s investment is expected to be completed by the first half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and WeRide’s preferred timing.

It supports WeRide’s growth strategy to expand its commercial AV fleet in Southeast Asia and advance artificial intelligence (AI)-driven mobility.

This partnership will establish a framework for deploying autonomous solutions across Grab’s network to enhance operational efficiency and scalability.

As part of this strategic collaboration, WeRide will integrate its autonomous driving technology into Grab’s fleet management, vehicle matching and routing ecosystem.

In addition, WeRide and Grab will train, upskill and transition interested Grab driver-partners and local communities to high-value career pathways within the AV industry.

“WeRide’s vision for Southeast Asia is to deploy thousands of Robotaxis across the region, through a progressive rollout aligned with local regulations and societal readiness,” said Dr. Tony Han, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WeRide.

“Grab, our newest partner and investor, is a household name in Southeast Asia with unmatched regional expertise and scale in ride-hailing and digital services,”

“Together, we will combine WeRide’s advanced AV technology and operational know-how with Grab’s strengths to accelerate safe, efficient Robotaxi services, enter new markets, and reinforce our first-mover leadership in shaping the future of mobility,” he added.

Meanwhile, Anthony Tan, Group Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Grab, said the firm wants everyone in Southeast Asia to have access to reliable transportation whenever they need it.

However, he opined that manpower constraints remain a challenge.

“We believe AVs can complement our driver network and be deployed in cities with significant driver shortages,

“We look forward to working with WeRide to extensively test their vehicles across diverse Southeast Asian environments,” he said.

For him, this will allow the firm to gain valuable insights into their real-world performance, adapt the technology to further enhance safety and reliability, and meet the region’s unique needs.

According to the statement, WeRide will collaborate with Grab on the technical and operational requirements for seamless, end-to-end integration into Grab’s fleet management system.

These include optimizing dispatch and routing; maximizing vehicle uptime; measuring safety performance; remote monitoring and teleoperations; customer support; training and upskilling.

The duo will leverage seamless integration of WeRide and Grab’s platforms to efficiently deploy and route AVs, enhancing passenger experience.

They will also develop robust maintenance, repair, and charging protocols to ensure operational efficiency.

They will also leverage WeRide’s regional operational experience to train AVs to navigate Southeast Asia’s traffic conditions, and assess their ability to reduce accidents caused by human errors.

They will also establish processes to ensure safety and provide remote support during emergency scenarios.

They will also implemente systems for rapid issue resolution to deliver seamless service.

They will also tap on WeRide trainers’ extensive AV remote supervision experience and GrabAcademy’s track record in upskilling driver-partners to prepare and transition driver-partners and local communities for future roles.

This expanded partnership builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in March 2025, where WeRide and Grab committed to exploring the technical feasibility, commercial viability, and job creation potential of AVs in the region, according to the statement.

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