DiDi Autonomous Driving Raises $149 Million for Robotaxis

14.10.2023 - 15:35 / skift.com / Justin Dawes

Six travel tech startups announced fundraises over the past week of more than $222 million. 

>>DiDi Autonomous Driving, which is developing autonomous vehicles for rideshares, has raised $149 million from Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. and Guangzhou Development District Investment Group Co.

DiDi Autonomous Driving is a subsidiary of DiDi Global, a rideshare app based in Beijing. It started as a division of the parent company in 2016 and then was established as a subsidiary in 2020.

The company earlier this year said that it plans to release robotaxis that customers can reserve through the DiDi rideshare app by 2025. 

A model of the vehicle, called DiDi Neuron, shows a robotic arm inside that can pick up luggage, wake passengers up, and pick up items from throughout the interior. And there’s no driver’s seat.

The company already operates limited robotaxi services in certain areas of Guangzhou and Shanghai.

With the latest funding, DiDi said it plans to “invest deeply in research and development, accelerate the implementation of related products, pursue open collaborations in the industry chain, build a sustainable and open industry ecosystem, and expedite the widespread commercial use of autonomous driving technology.”

>>Regent Craft, which is developing an electric seaglider for commercial travel, has raised $60 million in series A funding. 

The round was co-led by 8090 Industries and Founders Fund, with support from Japan Airlines Innovation Fund, Lockheed Martin, Yamato Holdings, Point72 Ventures, Caffeinated Capital, Mark Cuban, UAE’s Strategic Development Fund, Future Planet Capital and others.

The company has now raised $90 million to date. 

Rhode Island-based Regent Craft said its aircraft is meant for transportation along coastal routes. It will sit in the water at a dock for boarding and then lift off from the water. The company said it will fly within one wingspan from the surface of the water at speeds of up to 180 miles per hour, traveling up to 180 miles on a single charge. 

The company said it plans to test flights with a crew next year, and it’s on track to certify, manufacture, and deliver the product to customers by mid-decade. 

Its flagship seaglider, called Viceroy, will carry 12 passengers up to 180 miles, meant for underserved coastal communities. The company also has plans for a future aircraft to carry 100 passengers up to 500 miles.

“There are extraordinarily few companies today with battery powered vehicles that can fly human crew, and Regent is about to join those ranks,” said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of Regent, in a statement. “Seagliders will be the first electric flying machine to be economically viable, and I’m willing to bet, the first one that the majority