Pony.ai has received Shenzhen’s first citywide authorization to operate fully driverless commercial robotaxis, marking a major step in large-scale autonomous mobility in the southern Chinese city.
The permit, issued jointly with Shenzhen Xihu Corporation Limited, allows Pony.ai to deploy its fleet across Shenzhen’s urban districts, making it the first company authorized for citywide driverless operations in all four of China’s Tier-1 cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
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The initial rollout will cover Nanshan, Qianhai, and Baoan districts, before expanding across the city’s 17.8 million residents. The partnership with Xihu Group, formed in mid-2025, plans to deploy over 1,000 Gen-7 robotaxis in Shenzhen, following an “asset-light + AI-empowered” model. Xihu contributes operational expertise and fleet management, while Pony.ai provides technological development and autonomous dispatch capabilities.
Dr. James Peng, Founder and CEO of Pony.ai, said the partnership “represents a scalable and replicable path to commercialization, combining Pony.ai’s AI innovation with traditional fleet operators’ infrastructure and service experience.”
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Pony.ai operates a global fleet that has logged more than 55 million kilometers of autonomous testing, with over 720 robotaxis currently deployed and plans to reach 1,000 units by the end of the year.
The Shenzhen permit reinforces the company’s leadership in autonomous vehicle deployment and highlights the growing role of driverless technology in urban transportation networks across China.