Chinese driverless car start-up WeRide has made its first acquisition, an autonomous trucking company, as it looks to commercialize self-driving technology.
The Guangzhou-based company bought MoonX.AI for an undisclosed sum, it announced on Tuesday.
Qing Xiong Yang, founder, and CEO of MoonX.AI will become vice president of WeRide and dean of the firm’s research institute. More than 50 engineers from MoonX.AI will join WeRide.
Weide’s acquisition highlights the rapid push to commercialize driverless technology in China as competition intensifies. The company’s rivals include other start-ups like Pony.ai and AutoX, both based in south China, as well as technology giant Baidu.
Prior to MoonX.AI, Yang worked for the autonomous driving unit of embattled ride-hailing service Didi. Weide hopes to bolster its team of experts with the acquisition.
“MoonX has a team of talented engineers with substantial experience in autonomous driving technology development and commercialization,” WeRide CEO Tony Han told CNBC. “The acquisition of MoonX enables us to build an even stronger team and attract the best talents in the industry.”
Weide will also expand its footprint in China, opening a new office in the tech hub of Shenzhen.
The acquisition and expansion also come on the back of a funding round in May that valued WeRide at $3.3 billion.
WeRide hints at new products ahead
Weide focuses on creating autonomous driving systems that it can sell to automakers.
But the company’s biggest push is in an area it calls mobility services which includes autonomous taxis, or robotaxis, and its self-driving bus. The company launched a robotaxi service in Guangzhou in 2019 and opened it up to members of the public last year. Weide is also testing an autonomous bus.
Weide says it has clocked 5.5 million kilometers of autonomous driving test miles with its robotaxis and robot bus.
Though MoonX is an autonomous trucking company, WeRide didn’t confirm whether it will begin expanding into this industry.
But Han said the company is “actively engaged with partners from different industries to extend our scope of service.”
He also hinted at a new product ahead.
“MoonX’s expertise will help WeRide make another game-changing AD (autonomous driving) product,” Han said.
Weide declined to comment further when asked for more details.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Technology Express staff and is published from a syndicated feed)
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