From CNBC: 2025-03-27 22:01:00

Chinese start-up Pony.ai has obtained China’s first permit to charge fares for fully driverless taxis in core parts of Shenzhen’s business district. The permit allows Pony.ai to offer rides without human staff in areas like Nanshan, home to tech giants Tencent and DJI. The company operates more than 250 robotaxis across major Chinese cities.

Pony.ai has not disclosed the number of robotaxis it will operate in the Shenzhen region, but the driverless cars will run daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Residents can book rides through Pony.ai’s app or a mini-program in WeChat. The company also reported a significant increase in passenger fares in the fourth quarter.

In late 2021, Baidu’s Apollo Go and Pony.ai were allowed to charge fares for robotaxis in a southern suburb of Beijing. Pony.ai was also the first company to launch a paid robotaxi route from a suburb to Beijing South Railway Station in mid-March. The company’s revenue from robotruck services rose by 72.7% year-on-year to $12.9 million.

Read more: Pony.ai wins permit for fully driverless taxi in Shenzhen business district