WeRide and Renault Expand Robobus Service at French Open

• A new night route extends the Level-4 shuttle’s operating hours, running until midnight during the 2025 tournament.
• The renewed partnership follows successful autonomous deployments in Valence and Barcelona earlier this year.

WeRide and Renault Group have resumed collaboration at the 2025 Roland-Garros tournament, deploying a Level-4 autonomous shuttle to transport attendees. The Robobus operates along a 2.8-kilometer circuit connecting key entry points, running from late morning through early evening, with a new nighttime schedule introduced this year.

“We’re excited to be back at Roland-Garros with our longstanding partner, Renault Group, driving our shared mission of commercializing autonomous mobility in Europe. The return of our Robobus service for a second year not only reinforces confidence in our technology, but proves its readiness for the real world,” said Tony Han, founder and CEO of WeRide, in an official press release. “Europe is a key market in our global roadmap. With our autonomous products licensed in five markets, including France, and commercial operations already underway, we're accelerating efforts to bring safer, smarter mobility to more cities across the region.”

The evening service extends transit access until midnight, navigating complex urban conditions including limited lighting and variable traffic. Company representatives emphasized the system’s real-world performance and role in advancing European autonomous mobility.

The Robobus, developed by WeRide and built for commercial use, has been introduced in nearly 30 cities worldwide. Designed for low-emission travel, it is equipped with a proprietary autonomy platform and operates in diverse environments such as airports, resorts, and city centers.

“These autonomous electric minibuses and shuttles embody our vision of safe, smoother, more efficient, and more sustainable new public transport, at the service of the territories and their inhabitants. Since we have started experiments, we are no longer asking if society is ready for autonomous public transport; we are seeing that it already is. From Roland-Garros to Barcelona, via Valence, Renault and WeRide demonstrate that autonomous mobility is no longer a promise, but a reality,” said Patrick Vergelas, Autonomous Mobility Project Manager of Renault Group.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

Autonomous vehicles are steadily transforming public transit, and real-world pilots like this are key to mainstream readiness. With operations or tests in over 30 cities and permits across five markets, including China, France, and the U.S., WeRide is quickly building global momentum.

Source: WeRide/GlobeNewswire