Autonomous driving technology company Pony.ai has formed a strategic partnership with Shenzhen Xihu Corporation Limited to launch more than 1,000 seventh-generation Robotaxis in Shenzhen, marking one of the largest such deployments in China to date.
The collaboration, announced on Monday, is expected to significantly expand the footprint of Pony.aiâs autonomous services in the southern tech hub, integrating cutting-edge AI systems with one of Chinaâs most established urban transportation networks. Pony.ai described the initiative as a major step toward accelerating the large-scale commercialization of intelligent mobility.
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“We’re working with local distributor partners to make this growth possible. At the same time, we’re introducing a multi-brand offering with both NIO and firefly to reach even more users,” Pony.ai said.
Under the agreement, Xihu Group will manage fleet operations, regulatory compliance, safety, and customer service, drawing on its experience as Shenzhenâs largest taxi operator with a fleet of nearly 5,000 electric taxis. Meanwhile, Pony.ai will focus on artificial intelligence technology development, Robotaxi dispatch systems, and service scalability.
The two companies will operate under an âasset-light + AI-empowered model,â designed to reduce upfront capital requirements while enhancing technological and operational efficiency. The partnership is expected to speed up the adoption of fully autonomous services in Shenzhen and potentially serve as a model for future deployments in other tier-one Chinese cities.
Pony.ai has previously received regulatory approval to operate fully driverless Robotaxi services in central Shenzhen, demonstrating its capabilities in managing complex driving scenarios such as tunnels, high-density traffic, and irregular road layouts.
Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded operations across China, East Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The company said it plans to build on this new alliance by seeking additional collaborations with automakers and transport operators to drive broader adoption of its autonomous mobility solutions.