The first mass-produced robotaxi from the joint venture between Toyota and the self-driving technology company Pony.ai has officially been built.
The vehicle, a Toyota bZ4X electric SUV equipped with Pony.ai’s latest autonomous driving system, rolled off the commercial production line recently. It is the first of what the companies plan to be a fleet of over 1,000 identical robotaxis produced before the end of this year.
This specific bZ4X model is the third autonomous vehicle platform Pony.ai will use for its commercial services. The company’s other two robotaxi models are already in operation. The new Toyota-based vehicles will now be gradually added to Pony.ai’s active ride-hailing fleet.
Pony.ai’s goal is to have a total of 3,000 autonomous vehicles in commercial operation across China by the end of 2026. The service will focus on major Tier 1 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.
The standard, non-autonomous version of the Toyota bZ4X went on sale to the public last year. Pony.ai’s robotaxi version is fitted with the company’s “Gen-7” self-driving system. This technology package includes features designed for a rider-focused experience, such as automatic door unlocking via Bluetooth, voice commands inside the cabin, and integrated online music. The system also uses specialized braking patterns intended to reduce motion sickness for passengers.
Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has been testing self-driving vehicles for years. It received a key permit from Beijing to charge fares for fully driverless rides back in 2022. Although headquartered in Silicon Valley, the company operates extensively in China and filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States in 2024.
Source: Bloomberg