XPeng announced on 26 October 2026 that Guangzhou had approved its robotaxi service, XPENG YOYO, for Level 4 autonomous driving demonstration operations. The permit applies in every district of the city.
What the permit allows
Under Guangzhou's rules, demonstration operations are the stage at which a self-driving service becomes a business. Vehicles that testing has shown are fit to carry passengers can do so on the city's designated roads, and the operator may charge fares once it holds an operating certificate from the transport department. Full commercial operation is the next and final stage.
According to XPulse, the designated network stood at 1,375 roads, about 2,662 kilometres, at the end of September. The permit lasts up to three years. Every car still needs a safety operator, either on board or, where safety is assured, working remotely.
The road so far
XPeng received a road test permit in January and a remote testing permit in August, and opened rides to invited users on 8 October. For now, rides stay by invitation and the service area will grow in stages. XPeng has not disclosed fleet size or fares and has reported no robotaxi revenue yet. Its stated aim for 2027 is passenger service with no safety operator.
Competition
Pony.ai and WeRide, both based in Guangzhou, already run paid rides there with no one in the car except passengers. XPeng's model is different: rather than running fleets itself, it plans to sell vehicles, software and services to ride-hailing partners. Its chairman, He Xiaopeng, said on 13 October that the company was in talks with several large European ride-hailing platforms.
Why it matters financially
The permit gives XPeng a licensed, fare-capable service to show potential fleet partners, which is central to its plan to earn money by selling robotaxi systems rather than running them. Revenue figures do not yet exist; the next financial markers are a first partner fleet and the removal of safety operators.