WeRide will deploy its full Level 4 autonomous vehicle portfolio in Slovakia, with the first batch of vehicles set to arrive this month, after Prime Minister Robert Fico affirmed the Slovak government’s support for the rollout during a meeting in Bratislava this week. The meeting builds on the national autonomous vehicle program WeRide announced earlier this year under the ELEVATE Slovakia initiative, a multi-stakeholder effort to establish a regulatory-ready framework for autonomous mobility. According to the company, selected models are expected to enter public commercial operations in 2026.
Highlights
- The first batch of WeRide autonomous vehicles is set to arrive in Slovakia this month, according to the company.
- WeRide plans to deploy its Level 4 portfolio across smart mobility, public transportation, logistics, and municipal sanitation.
- Testing will begin in Bratislava before expanding to Košice and the High Tatras region.
- WeRide reports existing projects in five European countries: France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, and Slovakia.
Government Backing in Bratislava
WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD, HKEX: 0800) outlined its commercialization plans during the meeting with Prime Minister Fico, which was also attended by Jozef Ráž, Minister of Transport of Slovakia, and Ľubomír Slovák, Director General of the Strategy and Planning Section at the Ministry of Transport. The meeting was held at the invitation of DiusAI, the local partner of ELEVATE Slovakia.
According to WeRide, Fico expressed recognition of the company’s technological capabilities and affirmed the government’s support for autonomous driving initiatives, along with its commitment to advancing the country’s transportation and technological development.
On the same day, Cai Ge, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Slovak Republic, met with representatives from WeRide and DiusAI and expressed support for the company’s smart mobility collaboration in Slovakia.
What Will WeRide Deploy in Slovakia?
In line with its previously announced roadmap, WeRide plans to deploy its full Level 4 autonomous product portfolio across multiple use cases, including smart mobility, public transportation, logistics, and municipal sanitation. Testing will begin in Bratislava before expanding to Košice and the High Tatras region.
The company says selected models are expected to enter public commercial operations in 2026, paving the way for fully driverless commercial deployment once all Slovak and European Union regulatory and safety requirements are met.
WeRide’s European Footprint
WeRide reports active projects in five European countries spanning its Robotaxi and Robobus products:
- Spain — WeRide has partnered with Uber on what the companies describe as the country’s first commercial Robotaxi service, a Madrid pilot expected to begin operations later this year.
- France — The company’s Robobus has operated at Roland-Garros for three consecutive years and, according to WeRide, has achieved fully driverless commercial operations in the Drôme region.
- Switzerland — WeRide says its Robotaxi has obtained the country’s first driverless Robotaxi passenger permit, while its Robobus operates at Zurich Airport without a front-seat safety driver.
- Belgium — The Robobus is in regular commercial service in Leuven, supporting daily transportation for local residents, per the company.
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