Pony AI Inc. Expands Fully Driverless Commercial Robotaxi Services in Shenzhen Nanshan District, Accelerating the Commercialization of Autonomous Mobility for Everyday Travel

Rhea-AI Summary

Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ: PONY) has secured a license to provide fully driverless commercial Robotaxi services in Shenzhen's Nanshan District, becoming the first and only company with this approval in the area. This expansion follows their successful paid robotaxi launch in the adjacent Bao'an District.

Nanshan District, with nearly 2 million residents across 200 square kilometers and a GDP of approximately RMB1 trillion in 2024, ranks first in Guangdong Province. The service will cover major locations including China Resources Tower, Coastal City, and Shenzhen Bay Park.

Since receiving Shenzhen's first city-level driverless pilot license in August 2023, Pony.ai has expanded its network to connect key economic and transportation hubs. The company has accumulated about 45 million kilometers of autonomous driving mileage, including 5 million driverless kilometers. Their robotaxis are averaging approximately 15 orders per vehicle daily in 2024.

Positive

• First and only company to receive fully driverless commercial robotaxi approval in Nanshan District
• Expanding service coverage to high-value areas with 2M population and RMB1T GDP
• Strong operational metrics with 45M km autonomous driving mileage
• Consistent revenue generation with 15 daily orders per vehicle
• Strategic expansion connecting major economic and transportation hubs

Negative

• to specific districts in Shenzhen, indicating restricted operational scale
• Faces complex urban environment challenges including heavy traffic and weather conditions

Insights

Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expert

Pony AI's exclusive license for fully driverless commercial robotaxi services in Shenzhen's Nanshan District represents significant technological validation in one of China's most challenging urban environments. Nanshan's complex traffic patterns and dense infrastructure create ideal proving grounds that few autonomous systems can navigate safely.

The company's accumulated 45 million kilometers of autonomous driving experience (including 5 million fully driverless kilometers) provides critical data advantages that create substantial barriers to entry. This operational dataset enables continuous algorithmic refinement through machine learning that competitors without commercial deployments cannot match.

Being the first and only company with this approval in Nanshan District establishes Pony AI among a select global group with commercially deployed fully driverless solutions. The consistent achievement of approximately 15 daily orders per vehicle demonstrates growing consumer trust and system reliability.

The strategic expansion connecting Shenzhen's key economic hubs (airport, port, free trade zone) creates a comprehensive network effect that maximizes utility for users while testing the technology across diverse scenarios. Operating across multiple districts provides invaluable edge case data that accelerates the development-deployment feedback loop.

This milestone validates Pony AI's technical approach in navigating the complex "middle mile" of autonomous deployment - moving beyond controlled environments but before achieving universal deployment.

Transportation Business Analyst

Pony AI's expansion into Nanshan represents a strategic market penetration into a prime economic district with a GDP approaching RMB1 trillion in 2024. The district's 2 million population across 200 square kilometers creates an ideal density for robotaxi economics - significantly higher than San Francisco's 800,000 across 120 square kilometers.

This exclusive regulatory approval creates a temporary monopoly in one of China's top three economic districts, allowing Pony AI to establish consumer habits and brand recognition before competitors can enter. The company's methodical expansion from Bao'an to Nanshan demonstrates a disciplined approach to scaling while maintaining service quality.

By connecting major commercial destinations like China Resources Tower, MixC Shenzhen Bay, Coastal City shopping center, and transportation hubs, Pony AI is strategically targeting high-traffic routes with consistent demand patterns. This comprehensive network maximizes vehicle utilization while minimizing deadhead miles.

The 15 daily orders per vehicle metric shows promising adoption but likely remains below the threshold needed for profitability without continued optimization of fleet deployment and pricing strategies. However, as one of few companies globally with fully commercial driverless operations, Pony AI has first-mover advantages in refining these economics.

This expansion represents meaningful progression toward viable unit economics in a capital-intensive industry where scale and market density are essential for long-term commercial success.

SHENZHEN, China, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pony AI Inc. (“Pony.ai” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: PONY), a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility, today announced that it has received the 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 is the first and only company to receive approval for fully driverless commercial robotaxi services in Nanshan District, another critical step in its drive to commercialize autonomous across one of China’s most dynamic cities.

Nanshan District, renowned for its ultramodern infrastructure, offers a unique blend of business, entertainment, and leisure. With a population nearing 2 million across almost 200 square kilometers, Nanshan far exceeds many global urban cities in scale such as San Francisco, which has approximately 800,000 residents across approximately 120 square kilometers. More importantly, Nanshan's GDP has reached close to RMB1 trillion 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 provides convenient, efficient, and innovative transportation solutions that enhance the overall experience for residents and visitors. This achievement showcases Pony.ai’s technological leadership, reinforcing its position at the forefront of the industry and accelerating the large-scale commercialization of its autonomous mobility solutions.

Dr. James Peng, co-founder and CEO of Pony.ai, commented, “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. 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 District, 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.

To date, Pony.ai has accumulated approximately 45 million kilometers of autonomous driving mileage, including approximately 5 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.

About Pony AI Inc.

Pony AI Inc. is a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility. Leveraging its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology, a full-stack autonomous driving technology that seamlessly integrates Pony.ai’s proprietary software, hardware, and services, Pony.ai is developing a commercially viable and sustainable business model that enables the mass production and deployment of vehicles across transportation use cases. Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded its presence across China, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East and other regions, ensuring widespread accessibility to its advanced technology.
For more information, please visit: http://ir.pony.ai.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Pony.ai’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Pony.ai’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Pony.ai does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Pony.ai
Investor Relations
Email: ir@pony.ai

Media Relations
Email: media@pony.ai

Christensen Advisory
Email: pony@christensencomms.com

FAQ

What areas does PONY's robotaxi service now cover in Shenzhen?

PONY's robotaxi service covers Nanshan District, Bao'an District, and key economic hubs including Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Shenzhen Bay Port, and Qianhai Free Trade Zone.

How many autonomous driving kilometers has PONY accumulated as of March 2025?

PONY has accumulated approximately 45 million kilometers of autonomous driving mileage, including about 5 million driverless kilometers.

What is the average daily order volume for PONY's robotaxis in 2024?

PONY's robotaxis are averaging approximately 15 orders per vehicle daily in 2024.

When did PONY receive Shenzhen's first city-level driverless pilot license?

PONY received Shenzhen's first city-level driverless pilot license in August 2023.

What is the population and GDP of Nanshan District where PONY is expanding?

Nanshan District has nearly 2 million residents and achieved a GDP of close to RMB1 trillion in 2024, ranking first in Guangdong Province.