Pony.ai Begins Testing Futuristic Robotaxis In China, Mass Rollout Could Be Next

Pony AI Inc PONY announced on Friday that it is ramping up its Robotaxi mass production and commercialization efforts by launching public road testing for its seventh-generation Robotaxis in China.

The vehicles tested on roads in the southern Chinese megacities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen are based on Guangzhou Auto(GAC)’s second-generation Aion V model and are equipped with Pony.ai’s advanced autonomous driving system. 

The autonomous driving technology company recently obtained a regulatory permit to conduct these road tests for its seventh-generation Robotaxi, which was jointly developed with GAC.

Also Read: Pony.ai, Xihu Group To Deploy Over 1,000 Robotaxis In Shenzhen

 At the Shanghai Auto Show, Pony.ai debuted its Gen-7 autonomous driving system in April.

To support widespread adoption, Pony.ai has established deep commercial partnerships with global leaders in technology, mobility services, and deployment platforms, including Tencent Holding TCEHY Tencent Cloud, Alibaba Group Holding BABA Alipay and Amap.

Pony AI’s first-quarter sales grew 11.6% to $13.98 million (101.6 million Chinese yuan), mainly driven by rapid growth in Robotaxi services revenues. The analyst consensus estimate for sales was 90.11 million Chinese yuan. Robotaxi services revenue climbed 200.3% to $1.7 million in the quarter, primarily attributable to expanding its public-facing fare-charging operations in Tier-one cities in China and refined operational strategies for diverse user groups.

Also this week, Tesla Inc TSLA filed a fresh trademark application for the wordmark “Tesla Robotaxi” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) after the agency previously rejected its application.

The EV giant is gearing up to launch its Robotaxi services in Austin on June 12. Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously stated that the launch would initially involve over 10-20 Model Ys.

Price Action: PONY shares are trading higher by 1.9% to $13.74 at last check Friday.

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