- The partnership is expected to first launch in a key market in the Middle East later this year.
- Pony AI is the third Chinese company to announce a partnership or deepening of a partnership with Uber in the past few days.
Pony AI (NASDAQ: PONY) has entered into a partnership with Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) on robotaxi services, becoming the latest Chinese autonomous driving company to enter into a similar partnership with the US ride-hailing giant.
Pony AI today announced a strategic partnership to deploy its robotaxis to Uber’s platform, according to a press release.
The partnership is expected to launch first in a key market in the Middle East later this year, with plans to deploy to additional international markets in the future, Pony AI said.
Once rolled out, passengers will be able to choose to have their trips completed by Pony Ai’s autonomous vehicles when they request a qualifying ride on the Uber App.
In the initial pilot phase, these vehicles will be equipped with a safety operator until the companies’ fully autonomous commercial launch.
Pony AI said this is a key step in its global expansion strategy to leverage its ecosystem to showcase its technology capabilities.
The company’s seventh-generation autonomous driving system facilitates the mass production of robotaxis on a more scalable and cost-effective basis, it said.
This technological advancement aligns with the strategic goals of the partnership, enabling the Uber platform to integrate self-driving cars more quickly and safely as the partnership expands into new markets, it added.
“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,” Pony AI co-founder and CEO James Peng said.
Pony AI is the third Chinese autonomous driving startup to announce a partnership or deepening of a partnership with Uber in the past few days, after Momenta and WeRide.
Momenta announced on May 3 that it had entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Uber to bring self-driving vehicles to Uber’s platform to cover international markets outside of the US and China.
Momenta’s partnership with Uber will first launch in Europe in 2026, when they offer robotaxi services with in-car safety officers.
WeRide announced earlier today that it and Uber are further expanding their strategic partnership to include 15 new cities around the world over the next five years, including Europe and the Middle East.
WeRide entered into a partnership with Uber in September 2024 to advance the use of its self-driving vehicles on the Uber platform.
Pony AI is one of the first companies to receive the test license, which still requires a safety officer in the front passenger seat.
