Pony.ai, a China- and US-based self-driving vehicle technology company, and automaker Toyota, have unveiled their first jointly developed electric robotaxi at the sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE) 2023.

The robotaxi is constructed on the bZ4X electric vehicle (EV) platform produced by Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) Toyota. It utilizes Pony.ai's seventh-generation Level 4 autonomous driving software and hardware system  (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles limited to specific locations and/or conditions). 

Pony.ai also introduced updates to its seventh-generation Level 4 autonomous driving system. The system contains advanced sensors, including vehicular-grade solid-state LiDAR, cameras, and millimeter-wave radar for the precision and safety of its autonomous driving technology.

Analyst QuickTake: Today’s product unveiling marks a significant step in the ongoing collaboration between Pony.ai and Toyota, who first joined forces in 2019 to develop autonomous vehicles for deployment in China, with Toyota also having invested substantial funds in Pony.ai over the years. The duo also formed a joint venture (JV) in August 2023 to mass produce robotaxis.