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Robotaxi Company Pony.ai Is the First to Offer Driverless Taxi Service in China

Robotaxi companies are nothing new, but their operations are limited and are yet to be allowed to operate commercially. Pony.ai, an autonomous driving startup that operates in California and China, has received its first Chinese taxi license. This will allow it to charge fares for its services. It is the first company to do so in China, and the license covers 100 driverless vehicles in the Guangzhou city district of Nansha.
Robotaxi company Pony.ai is the first to offer driverless taxi service in China 6 photos
Photo: Pony.ai
Robotaxi company Pony.ai is the first to offer driverless taxi service in ChinaRobotaxi company Pony.ai is the first to offer driverless taxi service in ChinaPony.ai autonomous vehiclePony.ai autonomous vehiclePony.ai autonomous tech
Autonomous driving (AD) is viewed as the future of the automobile, with a lot of startups across the globe pouring billions into developing AD systems. Solving this problem will allow significant mobility advances, especially in the wake of an aging population. It will also make the cars safer, eliminating human errors that cause the vast majority of car crashes.

Pony.ai is a Toyota-backed robotaxi service founded by two Baidu developers back in 2015. The company has started public road trials in California and China, although its California driverless permit has been rejected following a crash in Fremont. China’s business is booming though, and the company has just received its first license to operate commercial robotaxi services in the Guangzhou city district of Nansha.

Under the license, the riders can hail and pay for rides using the company’s app between 8:30 am and 10:30 pm. The company plans to charge the regular Guangzhou taxi fares for rides in the entire 800 square km (309 square miles) area of the district. The vehicles will first operate with a driver on board for safety purposes, but Pony.ai said it intends to remove them in the future.

Pony.ai also has gained approval (but not a license) to operate 67 vehicles in Beijing and will probably be granted a license there as well. Until then, the company operates in a much smaller industrial zone on a trial basis, as confirmed to Reuters by a Pony.ai spokesperson.

The competition is harsh in the robotaxi business, both in the U.S. and in China. Pony.ai has to battle against the likes of Cruise and Waymo in the States, while it faces stiffer competition in China from carmakers-backed startups like Momenta (SAIC) and Weride (Nissan), as well as the tech giant Alibaba-backed AutoX.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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