Pony AI Inc. (“Pony.ai”), a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility, and Uber Technologies, Inc. (“Uber”), today announced a strategic partnership to deploy Pony.ai’s Robotaxis onto the Uber platform.
The partnership is expected to first launch in a key market in the Middle East later this year, with a goal of scaling deployments to additional international markets in the future. Once available, when a rider requests a qualifying ride on the Uber app, they may be presented with the option to have their trip fulfilled by a Pony.ai autonomous vehicle. During the initial pilot phase, these vehicles will have a safety operator onboard, until the companies’ fully autonomous commercial launch.
This is a key step in Pony.ai’s global expansion strategy, leveraging its established ecosystem to showcase robust technological readiness. Pony.ai’s seventh-generation autonomous driving system facilitates the mass production of Robotaxis on a more scalable and cost-effective basis. This technological advancement aligns with the strategic goals of the partnership, empowering Uber’s platform to more quickly and safely integrate autonomous vehicles as the collaboration expands to new markets.
“At Pony.ai, our vision is to develop autonomous driving technology that is not only safe and reliable but also scalable, transforming daily transportation,” said Dr. James Peng, Co-founder and CEO of Pony.ai. “Partnering with Uber accelerates our shared mission to make autonomous mobility a real, everyday experience for more consumers around the world. By combining our proven autonomous systems, with Uber’s unparalleled ride-hailing platform, we’re poised to set a new standard for the commercialization of driverless services, starting in the Middle East before expanding to new markets.”
“Our partnership with Pony.ai is another meaningful step towards introducing the benefits of autonomous mobility to the world,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “As the leading on-demand platform of its kind, spanning mobility, delivery, and freight, Uber is uniquely positioned to help accelerate the commercialization of this exciting technology.”
SOURCE: Pony AI
