inDrive, Pony.ai and Nvidia to test robotaxis in Central Asia by 2027
Ride-hailing firm inDrive plans to test Pony.ai's Gen-7 robotaxis powered by Nvidia AI in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the first half of 2027.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- inDrive teams up with Pony.ai and Nvidia for robotaxi trials in Kazakhstan
- Testing starts in Astana in H1 2027 utilizing Gen-7 vehicles with safety operators
- Nvidia provides its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system to lower development costs
Ride-hailing company inDrive, widely known for letting passengers and drivers negotiate fares, is joining forces with Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai and tech giant Nvidia to kick off robotaxi testing in Kazakhstan in 2027.
The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to explore integrating Pony.ai's self-driving vehicles onto the inDrive platform, highlighting the surging global interest in autonomous driving technology outside the U.S. and China.
inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik told TechCrunch that testing will commence in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, during the first half of 2027. Initial operations will feature a safety operator onboard before transitioning to fully driverless rides.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Under the proposed agreement, Pony.ai will supply its Gen-7 robotaxis for inDrive's ride-hailing app, while Nvidia will contribute its AI technology, including the Hyperion platform and Halos safety system, to streamline deployment.
inDrive's push into autonomous ride-hailing marks a strategic move to compete with major rivals like Uber, which is also expanding robotaxi pilots globally. Operating in Astana, with its severe winters and heavy snowfall, provides a rigorous testing ground to evaluate how autonomous systems handle harsh weather conditions.
Nvidia stated that its Hyperion platform significantly reduces development costs by offering pre-integrated sensors and computing tech. The announcement coincided with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's inaugural visit to Kazakhstan.
Source: TechCrunch
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment