The two founders are ex-Baidu employees with significant experience in the autonomous driving space. With more than 90% of traffic accidents in the US caused by human error, Pony.ai is looking to improve road safety with intelligent tech. The company is initially focused on taxis and long-distance freight trucks before it rolls the technology out to other vehicle types.

In 2022, Pony.ai became the first and only autonomous driving company to obtain a taxi license in China. It was awarded a permit to operate 100 autonomous vehicles as traditional taxis in Nansha, Guangzhou, highlighting its success so far. While the fleet currently retains safety drivers, the company expects to remove the driver over the short to intermediate time frame.

Although several other autonomous vehicle companies are operating, such as WeRide, Deeproute and AutoX, Pony.ai is well-positioned in terms of financial muscle and its successful multi-location testing. The company plans to significantly expand its hiring, open up a number of new autonomous vehicle global testing and operation sites, progress its strategic partnerships, and rapidly grow its fleet.