Pony.ai Accelerates Gen-7 Robotaxi Deployment with Road Testing Launch in China's Guangdong
The vehicles now testing on roads in the southern Chinese megacities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen are based on Guangzhou Auto(GAC)'s second-generation Aion V model and equipped with Pony.ai's most advanced autonomous driving system, unveiled just over a month ago at the Shanghai Auto Show. Pony.ai recently obtained regulatory permit to conduct these road tests for its seventh generation Robotaxi jointly developed with GAC, marking a significant transition from laboratory and closed-track validation into real-world traffic environments.
In April, Pony.ai debuted its Gen-7 autonomous driving system at the Shanghai Auto Show. The new system delivers three core advancements: the exclusive use of 100% automotive-grade components, a 70% reduction in BOM costs of the autonomous driving kit compared to previous generation, and enhanced platform-based design enabling rapid adaptation across multiple vehicle models.
Equipped with six types of mass-production sensors providing 360-degree, blind-spot-free redundant perception, and incorporating Pony.ai's proprietary sensor cleaning solution, the system effectively handles adverse weather and extreme scenarios. Built upon in-house developed "PonyWorld" model and utilizing reinforcement learning, it achieves safety standards exceeding human capabilities while continuously improving its ability to navigate complex, real-world conditions for full-scenario, all-weather operation.
Dr. James Peng, CEO and Co-Founder of Pony.ai, said:"The Aion V with 7th-Gen AD system deployed in these road tests represent a significant milestone in our deep collaboration and ecosystem synergy with GAC. Since launching our strategic alliance in 2018, we have continuously deepened our cooperation across L4 autonomous vehicle R&D, product deployment, and strategic investments."
Pony.ai brings substantial experience to this launch, having amassed over 45 million kilometers in global autonomous test mileage. The company has established an operational network spanning more than 2,000 square kilometers across four first-tier cities in China, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, encompassing high-complexity scenarios such as high-speed rail stations, airports, and densely populated urban commercial areas. Moreover, the company has validated its technology through over 500,000 hours of fully driverless operation under diverse real-world conditions in the past two years.
Targeting 2025 as its "mass production year," Pony.ai is transitioning from technology demonstration to large-scale deployment. Successfully boosting cost-efficiency in its latest Gen-7 system and achieving pre-installed production readiness enables the company to build a fleet exceeding 1,000 vehicles by year-end, unlocking significant economies of scale.
To support widespread adoption, Pony.ai has established deep commercial partnerships with global leaders in technology, mobility services, and deployment platforms, including Tencent Cloud, Alipay, Amap, Ruqi Mobility, Shenzhen Xihu Group, global ride-hailing giant Uber, Singapore's mobility conglomerate ComfortDelGro, and Luxembourg's Emile Weber.
Pony AI Inc. is a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility. Leveraging its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology, a full-stack autonomous driving technology that seamlessly integrates Pony.ai's proprietary software, hardware, and services, Pony.ai is developing a commercially viable and sustainable business model that enables the mass production and deployment of vehicles across transportation use cases. Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded its presence across China, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East and other regions, ensuring widespread accessibility to its advanced technology.
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