Pony.ai Granted Driverless Testing Permit in California

Pony.ai Receives Driverless Testing Permit in California

Pony.ai, a leading Chinese robotaxi company, has secured approval from California regulators to initiate pilot programs for its autonomous vehicles without the presence of a human safety driver in three designated cities.

Currently, 55 companies hold permits for testing autonomous vehicles with a safety driver. However, authorization for truly driverless operation is considerably less frequent. Pony.ai becomes the eighth entity granted a driverless testing permit within the state.

Expanding Autonomous Vehicle Testing

This permit, issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, builds upon Pony.ai’s existing testing activities in California, which began in 2017 with safety driver-equipped vehicles.

The new permit allows Pony.ai to deploy six autonomous vehicles on public roads without a driver in Fremont, Milpitas, and Irvine. Specific operational constraints are in place.

Vehicles will be limited to roads with speed limits of 45 mph or less and will only operate during clear weather or light precipitation. Initial testing will be confined to weekdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Fremont and Milpitas.

Regulatory Requirements

Companies receiving driverless permits are required to demonstrate financial responsibility through insurance or a $5 million bond. They must also adhere to stringent regulations.

These regulations include comprehensive training for remote operators and mandatory reporting of any collisions involving driverless test vehicles to the DMV within 10 days. Annual reports detailing disengagement events are also required.

Company Background and Funding

Founded in 2016 by former Baidu developers James Peng and Lou Tiancheng, Pony.ai has rapidly attracted partners and investment.

In November of last year, the company’s valuation reached $5.3 billion following a $267 million funding round. To date, Pony.ai has raised over $1 billion, including a $400 million investment from Toyota.

Strategic Partnerships and Technology

Pony.ai maintains collaborations with several automotive and technology companies, including Bosch, Hyundai, and Toyota.

The company is focused on developing a versatile “virtual driver” capable of operating various vehicle sizes, from passenger cars to large trucks, across both ridesharing and logistics networks.

Robotaxi and Delivery Services

Pony.ai has conducted ridesharing tests in Fremont and Irvine, California, as well as Guangzhou, China.

In 2019, the company launched “BotRide,” a robotaxi service utilizing electric Hyundai Kona crossovers equipped with Pony.ai’s self-driving system and Via’s ride-hailing platform. This service, however, still included a human safety driver.

Subsequently, Pony.ai introduced “PonyPilot,” a public robotaxi service in Irvine. This service adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting its focus from passenger transport to package delivery.

In April, Pony.ai partnered with e-commerce platform Yamibuy to provide autonomous last-mile delivery services in Irvine, addressing increased demand during the pandemic.