Beijing autonomous vehicle companies WeRide and Pony.ai announced on Thursday the launch of their new commercial self-driving shuttle services connecting the city's Yizhuang area to Beijing South Railway Station.

Passengers can pre-book rides through the companies' apps, with service available daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pick-ups and drop-offs take place at the designated autonomous vehicle hub on the first floor of the Beijing South Railway Station parking complex.

In May 2024, Beijing designated the Yizhuang-South Railway Station route as a pilot area for autonomous driving, marking the first self-driving service tailored for high-speed rail connections. The transition to paid services signals progress in the commercialization of autonomous driving.

The Yizhuang-Beijing South Railway Station service covers a 225-square-kilometer area in Yizhuang, including two designated routes within Beijing's autonomous driving demonstration zone. The routes extend across sections of Beijing's ring roads, highways, and roads within Third Ring Road.

Beyond existing services to Daxing International Airport and Beijing South Railway Station, the city plans to expand self-driving connections to additional transport hubs, including the Beijing Capital International Airport, Fengtai Railway Station, Chaoyang Railway Station, Qinghe Railway Station, and Beijing Sub-Center Railway Station.