Waymo Launches Subsidiary In Shanghai Paving Autonomous Way Into China

Waymo has set up a wholly-owned company by the name of Huimo Business Consulting in Shanghai’s free trade zone, according to a report from Reuters.

The new company’s scope includes business and logistics consultancy, as well as services related to the design and testing of autonomous car parts. Huimo Business Consulting has a registered capital of 3.5 million yuan ($509,000) and was established on May 22.

Waymo has confirmed that it has established a legal entity in China several months ago and that it has people working there.

Google, which left China’s search engine market in 2010, has been trying to find ways to re-enter the sector in the country, where many of its products are blocked by regulators. A recent report suggested that the company plans to launch a different version of its search engine in China that will block some websites and search terms.

Waymo’s new subsidiary comes as China is making a major push into self-driving smart vehicles, in a bid to keep pace with the United States on the development of autonomous tech.

Earlier this year, Beijing issued licenses to automakers, such as BAIC and NIO, that allow them to test autonomous vehicles on Shanghai’s roads.