AsianFin -- Chinese start-up Pony.ai has taken a significant step toward establishing a revenue-generating robotaxi business by securing China’s first permit to charge fares for fully driverless taxis. The permit applies to key areas in the Nanshan district of Shenzhen, a coastal tech hub often referred to as China’s Silicon Valley.
This license allows Pony.ai to operate driverless taxis without any human staff inside, offering rides in selected parts of Nanshan, which is home to major tech companies like Tencent and DJI. However, the permit does not extend across the entire district, limiting operations to specific zones such as the financial sub-district.
Previously, Pony.ai had already been operating robotaxis in parts of a neighboring district and had also run human-staffed taxis along routes connecting to Shenzhen International Airport and Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, which borders Hong Kong.
While the company did not disclose the exact number of robotaxis it could deploy in Shenzhen, Pony.ai confirmed that the driverless cars would operate daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Residents can book rides through Pony.ai’s app or via a mini-program within the popular WeChat messaging app.
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