Chinese autonomous driving technology company Pony.ai unveiled a fully electric truck equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities, allowing driverless operation under specific conditions, on the 14th at the IAA Transportation commercial vehicle trade fair that opened in Hanover, Germany. The vehicle announced was developed jointly with Chinese state-owned automaker GAC Group, and mass production will begin in the second half of this year. The company also revealed that it is in discussions with European governments and potential customers regarding road testing in Europe. Vice President Hua Xin, who heads the robotruck business, said, "We have already approached multiple ports and several governments about this issue," noting that the company is focusing on markets with high labor costs or facing severe labor shortages, and added, "Europe is definitely an important market for robotrucks." Pony.ai currently operates about 200 Level 4 autonomous trucks in China, some of which run fully driverless, but few countries in Europe have established systems or regulations permitting test runs of autonomous vehicles. In a statement, the company said it plans to expand its robotruck business into European and Middle Eastern markets within the next two years, and it is also advancing its robotaxi business outside China, conducting test operations in multiple European cities including Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.
Pony AI Inc.Pony.ai unveiled a jointly developed Level 4 fully electric autonomous truck with mass production starting in H2, advancing its robotruck product.
Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd Class AGAC Group co-developed the Level 4 autonomous truck with Pony.ai, contributing to the vehicle's development.
