Xpeng Received Important Approval for Robotaxi Tests!

Xpeng Receives Important Approval for Robotaxi Testing!

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng (XPEV) has taken a significant step towards its robotaxi goals as Chinese authorities granted approval for autonomous driving tests.

Permission for Level 3 Autonomous Vehicle Testing

According to local media outlet Yicai, Xpeng has received permission to conduct test operations for Level 3 autonomous vehicles in Guangzhou. This development follows the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) granting conditional permits to Changan Automobile and BAIC's Arcfox brand in Chongqing and Beijing.

Xpeng's Robotaxi and Humanoid Robot Goals

Xpeng's CEO and co-founder He Xiaopeng announced during the company’s third-quarter earnings call that they aim to launch three new Robotaxi models by 2026. This announcement reflects Xpeng's desire to enhance its competitiveness in the autonomous driving market.

Additionally, Xpeng has revealed plans to offer the "VLA [Vision-Language-Action autonomous driving system] 2.0" model as open source to global commercial partners. Through this system, the company aims to make autonomous technology accessible to a broader audience.

Competitive Market Environment

In the increasingly competitive autonomous vehicle market, Baidu's (BIDU) Apollo Go service has recently surpassed the milestone of 250,000 Robotaxi trips per week. Baidu has also recorded 140 million driverless miles. This situation continues to be a significant factor in Xpeng's efforts to increase its market share.

Meanwhile, Chinese robotaxi company WeRide (WRD) is implementing plans to provide robotaxi services in key tourism areas in collaboration with Uber Technologies (UBER) in Dubai, UAE.