Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai and electric vehicle manufacturer BAIC BJEV said they have expanded their strategic partnership to support the development and commercialization of Level 4 autonomous robotaxis, as both companies seek to move beyond pilot operations.
Under the updated agreement, the partners will cooperate on purpose-built robotaxi development, supply chain coordination, fleet operations and international market exploration. The expansion comes as more than 600 Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi vehicles have entered commercial service in Beijing and Shenzhen, following the model’s debut at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2025, according to the companies.
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Pony.ai and BAIC BJEV said their combined investment in autonomous driving research and commercialization since 2024 has reached nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million). The Arcfox Alpha T5 is based on Pony.ai’s seventh-generation robotaxi platform and is designed for fully autonomous operation without a safety driver.
“This expanded partnership reflects a shared commitment to moving autonomous driving from technical readiness to large-scale commercial reality,” Ning Zhang, vice president of Pony.ai, said in a statement.
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The companies said the collaboration will include joint optimisation of vehicle architecture and in-cabin systems, as well as work on fleet maintenance and user operations. They will also explore the integration of Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology into selected BAIC BJEV passenger vehicles over the longer term.
The Arcfox Alpha T5 incorporates Pony.ai’s proprietary autonomous driving software, with design features intended to improve passenger access and ride comfort, the companies said.
International expansion is also part of the plan. Pony.ai currently operates in eight countries, including Luxembourg, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and South Korea, which the companies said could support future robotaxi deployments in Europe and the Middle East.
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“Through this deeper strategic collaboration with Pony.ai, we are jointly advancing L4 robotaxi development,” said Guofu Zhang, vice general manager of BAIC Group and chairman of BAIC BJEV.
The companies said the expanded partnership allows for additional investment to support technology development and overseas expansion, though they did not disclose a timeline for launches outside China.