China Grants Pony.ai City‑wide Driverless Robotaxi Licence

Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai has received the first city‑wide permit for fully driverless commercial robotaxi operations in the city of Shenzhen, in southern China. Reuters

The permit, jointly issued with the city’s leading taxi operator Xihu Group, will enable the rollout of fare‑paying, driverless ride‑hailing across districts including Nanshan, Qianhai, and Baoan, before expanding citywide.

The move marks a milestone in China’s autonomous mobility push, with Pony.ai now positioned as a front‑runner in commercial robotaxi deployment within major urban zones.

Regulators’ green light reflects growing confidence in the deployment of “driverless” mobility services in dense city environments, amid rising competition and technological evolution.