Pony.ai, a Nasdaq-listed company specializing in autonomous vehicle technology, has announced a strategic partnership with Tencent Cloud to develop autonomous driving technology and offer robotaxi services on Tencent’s WeChat and other applications.
The partnership will include cooperation in areas such as cloud services, map data, information security, and intelligent cockpit ecosystems. Pony.ai’s robotaxi ride-hailing services will be integrated within Tencent’s popular WeChat app, as well as other applications like Tencent Maps. WeChat, known as the world’s most popular ‘super app,’ has a monthly user base of over 1 billion people.
“Pony.ai possesses industry-leading autonomous driving technology accumulations, while Tencent excels in cloud services, mapping, and cockpit ecosystem technologies,” said Vice President of Tencent Group and President of Tencent Smart Mobility Zhong Xiangping. “This strategic partnership between the two parties is not only about complementing each other’s technologies and resources but also marks a new starting point for collaborative innovation.”
The partnership will also see both companies collaborate on the development, testing, and operation of Robotaxis, particularly in L4-level autonomous driving. L4 is a type of autonomous driving that allows drivers to take their eyes off the road in designated areas. This collaboration comes a day after Pony.ai unveiled its L4, seventh-generation robotaxi solution at the Shanghai Auto Show.
Pony.ai’s CEO, James Peng, told CNBC that the partnership is a “win-win” collaboration, citing Tencent’s huge user base and cloud offerings as supporting factors. “Hopefully in the near future,” users will be able to call Pony.ai robotaxi rides straight through the WeChat app, Peng added.
The partnership is significant for Pony.ai as it continues to establish itself as a prominent player in China’s autonomous driving industry. The company recently obtained China’s first permit to charge fares for fully driverless taxis in core parts of a business district of Shenzhen, where Tencent is headquartered.
