Pony.ai Targets Travel Hubs As It Expands Robotaxi Services to Hong Kong

Chinese autonomous vehicle company, Pony.ai is planning to introduce robotaxi services in Hong Kong. According to Reuters, this move is part of Pony.ai’s strategy to grow its operations globally. The launch of Pony.ai robotaxi services will see the driverless vehicle company compete with rivals such as Baidu in the city.

Commuter Service

Pony.ai plans to use the Hong Kong International Airport as its launch-pad into the Hong Kong market. The company will start by providing robotaxi services to airport staff at Hong Kong International Airport. The company plans to expand China Pony.ai services to urban areas within the city later.

“Entering the Hong Kong International Airport is the starting point and foundation for entering the entire Hong Kong market, and can further prove the unmanned driving capabilities of driverless vehicles in highly complex environments under the traffic rules of driving on the left,” the company said.

Hong Kong is a critical financial center and Hong Kong International Airport is among the busiest airports in the world. Passenger and cargo volumes are also among the highest in the world. The traffic environment in the city is quite different. Cars drive on the left and it’s common to find special intersection structures with various roads. The city’s traffic network is also dense. Pony.ai did not reveal the timeframe for the launch.

Pony.ai vs Baidu

As Pony.ai launches robotaxi services in Hong Kong, its greatest competitor will be Baidu. The Chinese technology multinational is already working towards introducing Baidu driverless taxis service in Hong Kong having received approval to run trials in North Lantau about two months ago. Pony.ai already acquired licenses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenshen, and Guangzhou.

The company has already introduced a driverless shuttle service in Beijing’s Daxing Airport. The company has been running autonomous driving trials on the main expressway that connects Guangzhou Baiyun Airport in readiness for future passenger operations. Pony.ai is working to deploy driverless driving in Luxembourg, South Korea, and the Middle East among other countries.

Looking into the Future

Pony.ai is focused on offering cross-city driverless travel services in Hong Kong. In its statement, the company says its autonomous driving demonstration application cars will move freely across several locations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. This will enable the company to facilitate travel between major hubs like high-speed rail stations and airports. With such a network, Pony.ai will provide Hong Kong residents with convenient, safe, and reliable driverless travel experience.

Pony.ai was founded in 2016 in Silicon Valley. The startup manufactures and operates fleets of autonomous vehicles in China and the US. In November 2024, the company raised $260 million through a US initial public offering, pushing the startup’s valuation to about $4.55 billion. The Pony.ai IPO took place after about two years of uncertainty following the global delisting of another Chinese company, Didi three years ago. The autonomous vehicle company has established research and development centers in Silicon Valley in the US and in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai in China.