On July 11, 2024, I will drive a robotaxi on a public road in the southern suburbs of Beijing.
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BEIJING – In its latest steps towards building a revenue-generating Robotaxis business, Chinese startup Pony said it has obtained China’s first permit to charge a completely unmanned taxi fare at the core of Shenzhen’s business district.
The city is a coastal technology hub in southern China, sometimes referred to as the country’s Silicon Valley.
The license allows Pony.AI to charge fares for rides in an important part of the Nanshan district, home to the High-Tech Giants Tencent and DJI. The permit does not cover travel across the entire space and restricts it to areas such as financial sub-districts.
Pony.AI already operates Lobotaxis in parts of the neighbouring Shenzhen district, allowing taxis to run with human staff on a route that connects to Shenzhen Bay checkpoints on the border between Shenzhen International Airport and Hong Kong.
Pony.ai did not disclose the number of Robotaxis that could work in the deep Shenzhen region, but the company said unmanned vehicles could run local time from 7:30am to 10pm daily.
According to a press release, residents can book to ride Robotaxi via the Pony.AI app or the mini program within the WeChat messaging app.
Pony.ai also operates Lobotaxis in some of the major Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, operating a total of more than 250 cars nationwide in late November.
In late 2021, local governments in Beijing began allowing Apollo Go and Pony.ai in Baidu to charge Lobotaxis fares in the city’s southern suburbs.
In mid-March, Pony.Ai also said it was the first company to launch a paid Robotakshi route from the suburbs to Beijing South Railway Station. Users must book a ride one day in advance, and according to current regulations, human staff workers must sit in the driver’s seat.
Pony.AI reported a “significant increase” in passenger fares this week from a year ago to the fourth quarter, without disclosing accurate numbers. However, the company said overall revenue from Robotaxi services fell to $2.6 million in the fourth quarter, down nearly 61.9% in the fourth quarter due to reduced service charges for autonomous vehicle engineering solutions. Additionally, revenue from Robotruck Services rose 72.7% year-on-year to $12.9 million due to the expansion of the Robotruck fleet.
