The autonomous driving unit of Didi Global Inc on Thursday announced an investment from Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd, which is expected to help the company accelerate research and development and the commercialization of its services.

The investment, worth up to $149 million, will be made by GAC's wholly-owned subsidiary GAC Capital Co Ltd and Guangzhou Development District Investment Group Co Ltd, Didi said in a statement.

Didi Autonomous Driving said it will continue 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.

Zhang Bo, CTO of Didi and CEO of Didi Autonomous Driving, said "As a leading company in the automotive industry and a pioneer in the global new energy sector, GAC Group has built a strong foothold across the entire value chain. We are pleased to strengthen our strategic partnership with GAC Group."

"The strong support from GAC Group will help us accelerate the construction of an open, sustainable, and mixed dispatching network for shared mobility, providing users with safe, convenient, and cost-effective autonomous driving services," Zhang said.

Currently, Didi Autonomous Driving operates Robotaxi services in certain areas of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and Shanghai with a mixed dispatching model, which combines both autonomous vehicles and human-driving vehicles. The Robotaxi service has been safely operating for 1,200 consecutive days, Didi said.

Yu Jun, vice president of GAC Group and chairman of GAC Capital, said "Didi Autonomous Driving has proven exceptional strengths in technology and scenario-based data systems. We are confident in its growth potential and look forward to working with Didi Autonomous Driving to jointly facilitate the transformation of the transportation and automotive industries.