Robotaxi news keeps rolling. Today brings a few stories — I already covered the WeRide news from Saudi Arabia, but there are also updates from Pony AI and Tesla in China.
Pony AI Extends Its Hours In China
Pony AI sort of feels like the forgotten stepchild or something. Waymo, WeRide, Tesla, and Baidu get a lot of attention, but Pony AI keeps moving forward as well. The news this week from the company is that it has switched to 24/7 robotaxi testing in the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. This is an extension from the 7:00am to 11:00pm time period the robotaxis were running.
I imagine many people needing a ride in the middle of the night would appreciate the ability to get a robotaxi and not needing to have a human driver, which they may or may not feel safe or comfortable with. That said, some readers have pointed out that some people prefer having a human driver for safety reasons. Then there’s another human around, on the clock and tracked presumably, who could be a deterrent to any criminally minded people. However, research shows that more people are attracted to robotaxis for the potential safety benefits — or perceived safety benefits — of not having a human driver.
Also of note is the fact that transportation services — whether taxis or mass transit — are much more limited at night, and human drivers cost more at night. Pony AI thus sees 24/7 operations as a way to potentially improve transportation options, and I’m sure make an extra buck.
“Earlier this month, Pony AI announced that robotaxis equipped with its seventh-generation autonomous driving system have begun mass production and road testing,” CnEVPost writes. “The new generation of autonomous driving system took two years to develop and uses only automotive-grade components, with a 70 percent reduction in cost compared to the previous generation, according to the company.”
By the end of 2025, Pony AI aims to have a fleet of 1,000+ robotaxis on the road.
Tesla Supervised FSD (But Not FSD) Planned For China (& Europe)
Tesla plans to deploy more advanced supervised driver-assistance in China and Europe in coming months, pending regulatory approval. While it seemingly can’t be called “Full Self Driving” there, this is the software suite the plans refer to.
Tesla display at 2025 World AI Conference in Shanghai. Image courtesy of Tesla.
Tesla has been aiming to launch its “Full Self Driving” (FSD) in China and Europe for a while, but stronger regulations there and the need to meet different road rules and cultural norms have delayed the spread to those markets. Perhaps that big next step is finally coming, though. Tesla would certainly like to finally get revenue from simple software activations of FSD features in these major markets.
“Earlier this week, Chinese automotive media outlet Dongchedi conducted a large-scale test comparing the smart driving capabilities of dozens of EV models available in China, with Tesla performing well in several categories,” CnEVPost writes. Without a doubt, many Chinese Tesla owners are eagerly awaiting Tesla driver-assist capabilities that are allowed in the United States.
See more Chinese robotaxi news we’ve missed? Drop us a note and let us know.
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