Autonomous driving startup Pony.ai said on Tuesday it will begin deploying its self-driving vehicles on the Uber ride-hailing platform, marking another major step in its global commercialization strategy and making it the third Chinese autonomous firm to announce a partnership with Uber in recent days.
As part of a pilot phase, passengers using the Uber app will soon be able to opt for rides completed by Pony.aiās autonomous vehicles, though the cars will initially operate with a safety driver onboard. A fully driverless service is planned for a later commercial launch.
Pony.ai said its latest seventh-generation autonomous driving system enables more scalable and cost-effective robotaxi deployment, supporting mass production. The system is expected to accelerate Uber’s integration of autonomous vehicles into its global ride-hailing network.
āBy combining our proven autonomous systems with Uberās unparalleled ride-hailing platform, weāre poised to set a new standard for the commercialization of driverless services, starting in the Middle East before expanding to new markets,ā said James Peng, co-founder and CEO of Pony.ai.
“Our partnership with Pony.ai is another meaningful step towards introducing the benefits of autonomous mobility to the world,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “As the leading on-demand platform of its kind, spanning mobility, delivery, and freight, Uber is uniquely positioned to help accelerate the commercialization of this exciting technology.”
The announcement comes shortly after rival Chinese firms Momenta and WeRide each revealed strategic partnerships with Uber. Momenta said on May 3 it will roll out autonomous vehicles on Uberās platform beginning in Europe in 2026, while WeRide said earlier Monday it will expand its collaboration with Uber to cover 15 new cities over the next five years.