Pony.ai, a China- and US-based self-driving vehicle technology company, has received permission to commence testing of fully driverless robotaxis (i.e., without a safety driver onboard) on specified public roads in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, China.

Pony.ai is among the three companies to have obtained the first batch of approval issued by authorities in the Pudong New Area; peers Baidu and AutoX are also on the list.

Analyst QuickTake: Today’s permit adds to Pony.ai's series of important milestones achieved so far. Pony.ai first launched a robotaxi service in Jiading in Shanghai in July 2021 and today’s permit will help expand into more locations in Shanghai. The company also has driverless passenger-carrying permits in Beijing and Guangzhou, as well as fully driverless testing permits in Shenzhen. These back-to-back expansions of driverless operations showcase Pony.ai's significant capability to swiftly introduce self-driving technology in various cities.