- Pony AI is one of the first companies to receive the test license, which still requires a safety officer in the front passenger seat.
- Its robotaxi vehicles based on the Toyota Sienna and Lexus RX are allowed to conduct the test on designated highways.
Autonomous driving startup Pony AI (NASDAQ: PONY) announced today that it has begun robotaxi testing on Beijing's highways and expressways with no safety officer in the driver's seat.
Pony AI is one of the first companies to receive permit for the test, which still requires a safety officer in the front passenger seat, according to an announcement today.
Pony AI's robotaxi vehicles based on the Toyota Sienna and Lexus RX are allowed to conduct the test on permitted roads from Yizhuang to Daxing Airport, and near the Beijing South Railway Station.
The permitted test hours for some roads are from 7 am to 1 am at night, and others are from 9 am to 5 pm, covering a range of different working conditions including morning and evening rush hour, daytime peaks, and late-night dark light, according to the company.
Yesterday, Pony AI announced that it was allowed to have following vehicles without a safety officer in the driver's seat during self-driving truck fleet tests.
This is expected to help the company achieve fully unmanned operations for following cars in self-driving fleets and reduce logistics costs, it said.
In the first half of 2024, Pony AI averaged more than 15 orders per day per fully unmanned robotaxi, the company previously said.
Pony AI went public on the Nasdaq on November 27, making it the largest initial public offering (IPO) in 2024 in the autonomous driving space on the US stock market.
Pony AI plans to provide robotaxi commute for staff at Hong Kong International Airport
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