Pony.Ai and Toyota have joined forces in a billion yuan venture aimed at producing robotaxis on a large scale. As part of their collaboration, Toyota will integrate Pony.Ai’s ride-hailing software, into their vehicles, marking a step in their partnership. This move also aligns with Toyota’s efforts to accelerate its electric vehicle transition, for the market.
Autonomous vehicle technology startup, Pony.Ai, has announced a significant stride in its journey by forging a joint venture with Toyota Motor of Japan. The collaboration entails a substantial investment of 1 billion yuan (equivalent to $139 million) earmarked for the large-scale production of robotaxis.
Scheduled for establishment within this calendar year, the nascent entity will operate in conjunction with Toyota’s existing partnership with the Chinese state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group. Under this arrangement, GAC-Toyota will take the reins in manufacturing vehicles embedded with Pony.Ai’s cutting-edge ride-hailing software, according to the formal declaration by Pony.Ai.
This initiative represents a novel chapter in the ongoing collaboration between Pony.Ai and Toyota, their initial collaboration having been initiated in 2019. Over the intervening years, Toyota has infused Pony.Ai with substantial financial support, reaching into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Notably, Pony.Ai, maintaining a presence in both China and the United States, has already successfully launched its robotaxi services within the cities of Beijing and Guangzhou.
A complementary development comes from Toyota itself, which recently unveiled its strategic intent to expedite the domestic design and development of “smart cockpits” tailored to the specific demands of the Chinese market. This strategic pivot aligns with Toyota’s broader objective of embracing electric vehicle technologies more assertively, as it endeavors to stay competitive in the face of increasingly aggressive local contenders.
