Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide has made significant progress in California, obtaining a permit for self-driving vehicle testing that allows passenger rides on public roads, although currently it is not permitted to charge fees or offer services to the public. WeRide had previously obtained a permit in 2021 to test autonomous vehicles without passengers on public roads. However, the company's commercialization progress in California appears to be slow, with its autonomous driving mileage in 2023 far below that of competitor Waymo. WeRide is preparing to raise nearly $5 billion.