Pony.ai Expands Robotaxi Operation to 24/7 in Major Chinese Cities

Pony.ai has launched 24/7 Robotaxi operation in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China, and extended its testing window in Beijing to 24 hours daily. The company's autonomous driving system has logged over 500,000 hours of driverless operation and achieved a safety record ten times safer than human drivers. Pony.ai's multi-sensor fusion architecture integrates LiDAR, cameras, and radar to deliver real-time 360-degree perception in various lighting conditions. The company's advanced software stack enables stable and precise detection of road features, vehicles, and pedestrians.

Pony.ai (NASDAQ: PONY), a leading player in autonomous driving technology, has significantly expanded its Robotaxi services in China. The company has initiated 24/7 Robotaxi operations in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and extended its testing window in Beijing to 24 hours daily. This move marks a substantial operational milestone, demonstrating the company's technical readiness for full commercial deployment.

Pony.ai's autonomous driving system has accumulated over 50 million kilometers of global testing and 500,000 hours of driverless operation. The system's safety record is reported to be ten times safer than that of human drivers, indicating robust performance under real-world conditions [1].

The company's seventh-generation Robotaxis are equipped with a multi-sensor fusion architecture, integrating 128-beam LiDAR, 8-megapixel cameras, and 4D imaging millimeter-wave radar. This advanced setup enables real-time 360-degree perception, even in low-light or nighttime settings. The proprietary sensor self-cleaning system ensures reliable operation in various weather conditions, further enhancing the system's capability to handle challenging environments [1, 2].

The expansion to 24/7 operations in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, coupled with the extended testing window in Beijing, positions Pony.ai to capture significant market share in late-night transportation. Traditional ride-hailing services often face driver shortages and higher costs during late-night hours, making Pony.ai's always-on Robotaxi services a compelling alternative [2].

As cities grow quieter after dark, this initiative underscores Pony.ai's commitment to accelerating the commercial viability of Robotaxi services. The company's advanced autonomous driving software stack, built on the PonyWorld foundation model, enables stable and precise detection of road features, vehicles, and pedestrians, from nearby blind spots to distances of up to 650 meters [1, 2].

This operational expansion across four major Chinese metropolises (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen) indicates iterative hardware and software development, positioning Pony.ai as a leader in the autonomous driving space. The company's sophisticated AI approach to autonomous driving, combined with its impressive operational metrics, suggests promising future growth prospects.

References:
[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ponyai-kicks-off-247-robotaxi-operation-in-major-chinese-cities-302513843.html
[2] https://www.stocktitan.net/news/PONY/pony-ai-kicks-off-24-7-robotaxi-operation-in-major-chinese-xg14hi59nvdw.html