Pony.ai, Toyota Motor (China) Investment, and GAC Toyota Motor have announced the formation of a joint venture aimed at the mass production and deployment of fully driverless robotaxis. The venture will be established in 2023, with an investment exceeding $139.2 million (RMB 1 billion), the companies said in a statement.
As part of the agreement, GTMC will supply Toyota branded battery electric vehicles with redundant systems suitable for L4 autonomous driving. These vehicles will be integrated with Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology and will be part of Pony.ai’s robotaxi platform, PonyPilot+.
The joint venture brings together Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology and experience, Toyota’s vehicle technologies, and GTMC’s production capabilities. The collaboration aims to increase the capacity for robotaxi services, further the commercialization of autonomous mobility, and potentially influence the development of the entire industry.
Currently, Pony.ai operates a fleet of around 200 Toyota and Lexus brand robotaxis in China’s Tier-1 cities (Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen) for road testing and public operations.
GAC Toyota Motor is an automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Guangzhou, China and a joint-venture between GAC Group and Toyota.
[Image courtesy: Pony.ai]