Pony.ai has received a license to provide fully driverless commercial robotaxi services in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district. This milestone follows the successful launch of its paid robotaxi services in the neighboring Bao’an district. Pony.ai says it is the first and only company to receive approval for fully driverless commercial robotaxi services in Nanshan, another critical step in its drive to commercialize autonomous driving across one of China’s most dynamic cities.
Nanshan, renowned for its ultramodern infrastructure, offers a unique blend of business, entertainment and leisure. With a population nearing two million across almost 200km2, its scale far exceeds many other urban cities such as San Francisco, which has approximately 800,000 residents across 120km2. More importantly, Nanshan’s GDP was close to ¥1tn in 2024, ranking first in Guangdong Province and among the top three districts in China.
The district is home to several of Shenzhen’s most iconic destinations, including China Resources Tower, a major business hub with the upscale retail complex MixC Shenzhen Bay at its base; Coastal City, a bustling shopping center; and Shenzhen Bay Park, one of the most popular scenic parks in the city. By deploying its paid robotaxi services to this vibrant district and these landmark locations, Pony.ai says it provides convenient, efficient and innovative transportation solutions that enhance the overall experience for residents and visitors.
“Expanding our fully driverless commercial robotaxi services to the vibrant Nanshan district will accelerate public adoption, as well as inspire confidence and trust in fully driverless technology as we deploy its application to daily urban use cases,” said Dr James Peng, co-founder and CEO of Pony.ai. “Navigating Shenzhen’s dense urban environment under all weather conditions – with complex road networks and heavy traffic – will further validate the readiness, reliability and adaptability of our technology for large-scale deployment. As one of the few companies globally with fully driverless autonomous driving solutions, we remain firmly focused on scaling our robotaxi operations and guiding the industry into its next phase of development.”
Since receiving Shenzhen’s first city-level driverless pilot license to operate intelligent connected vehicles in August 2023, Pony.ai has rapidly expanded its robotaxi services network to connect the city’s core districts. With the expansion into Nanshan, Pony.ai’s robotaxi services now cover Shenzhen’s key economic and transportation hubs, seamlessly linking downtown areas, major transit points, highways and business centers, such as Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, Shenzhen Bay Port, and Qianhai Free Trade Zone. Users can now conveniently book rides across these areas through the PonyPilot app or WeChat mini program.
Pony.ai says it has accumulated approximately 45,000,000km of autonomous driving mileage, including approximately five million driverless kilometers. Its robotaxi services are gaining strong traction and generating consistently positive user feedback on the experience, with average daily orders per vehicle reaching approximately 15 in 2024.