Key Points
- In the latest step towards building a revenue-generating robotaxi business, Chinese startup Pony.ai said it has obtained the first permit to charge fares for fully driverless taxis in core parts of a business district of Shenzhen.
- The permit allows Pony.ai to charge fares for rides — without any human staff inside — from the Shenzhen international airport and Shenzhen Bay Port to key parts of the district of Nanshan, home to tech giants Tencent and DJI.
- While Pony.ai did not disclose how many robotaxis it could operate in the region, the company said the driverless cars could run daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time.
