CaoCao Inc. plans to deploy 100 robotaxis in Shanghai’s Jiading District in 2026 under a strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai International Automobile City Group, as the company accelerates efforts to commercialize autonomous ride-hailing services in China.
The Hong Kong-listed company said it will establish a wholly owned subsidiary within the core area of Shanghai International Automobile City (SIAC) to support robotaxi operations and large-scale commercial deployment in the city.
Jiading District has emerged as one of Shanghai’s major hubs for intelligent connected vehicle development and autonomous driving testing.
Under the agreement, SIAC will provide CaoCao access to local intelligent vehicle innovation resources, while the two companies will cooperate in areas including technology research and development, industrial-chain coordination and urban testing scenarios.
CaoCao said it aims to improve the operational efficiency of robotaxi services by leveraging SIAC’s industrial ecosystem, policy support and testing infrastructure.
The district has already become an important center for autonomous ride-hailing development in China. Pony.ai launched robotaxi services in Jiading in 2021 and later expanded its PonyPilot+ fleet in Shanghai.
The Shanghai initiative also supports CaoCao’s broader autonomous vehicle strategy. The company recently unveiled Eva Cab, described as China’s first purpose-built robotaxi prototype, during the Auto China in Beijing.
According to the company, a customized robotaxi developed for CaoCao is scheduled to enter mass production in 2027, with cumulative deployment targeted at 100,000 vehicles by 2030.
Geely Holding Group positions CaoCao as its primary commercial platform for robotaxi operations. The company said it has established a closed-loop ecosystem covering autonomous driving technology, vehicle operations and purpose-built robotaxi models, supported by its ride-hailing network and mobility data.
CaoCao added that it plans to gradually expand robotaxi operations into additional Chinese cities through 2026 while also exploring opportunities in Hong Kong and overseas markets through Geely’s international network.
