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Pony.ai Inc. has taken a significant step forward with the introduction of its seventh-generation autonomous driving system, with plans to begin mass production by mid-year. This announcement underscores the company’s commitment to advancing the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles.
Dr. James Peng, co-founder and CEO of Pony.ai, emphasized that the year 2025 will be pivotal, marking the launch of their first mass-produced robotaxis. He articulated that the journey to achieving robust production relies on three essential elements: enhancing technology readiness, integrating products effectively, and honing operational capabilities. According to Dr. Peng, these foundational aspects have been thoroughly developed, positioning Pony.ai to roll out its robotaxis in a safe and efficient manner.
Founded in 2016 and operating out of headquarters in Guangzhou, China, and Fremont, California, Pony.ai’s technology is based on a unique Virtual Driver system that combines proprietary software, hardware, and associated services. This vehicle-agnostic approach allows for flexibility across various vehicle types.
Focus on Cost-Effective Innovation
The latest autonomous driving system incorporates a cutting-edge automotive-grade autonomous driving kit (ADK) designed for longevity and improved passenger safety. The company reports that optimizations have led to a remarkable 70% reduction in total material costs. Additionally, there has been an 80% decrease in the computation needs for autonomous driving, along with a 68% reduction in costs associated with solid-state lidar when compared to previous models.
Pony.ai’s modular platform architecture enhances its ability to adapt to various vehicle models, showcasing versatility across its fleet, including multiple robotaxi prototypes and future robotruck initiatives. Utilizing simulation technologies, the company is advancing its system training protocols.
Dr. Tiancheng Lou, CTO of Pony.ai, pointed out that the safety standards for Level 4 autonomous systems exceed those required for human drivers, noting that simply replicating human behavior won’t suffice. To address this, Pony.ai has developed its proprietary PonyWorld simulation platform, which generates realistic driving scenarios and rigorous evaluation metrics to enhance its autonomous decision-making capabilities significantly beyond human levels.
“Our seventh-generation system not only enables Level 4 autonomous driving but also prioritizes scalability while managing costs effectively,” Dr. Lou added.
Preparing for Robotaxi Deployment
Pony.ai is strategically positioned within the autonomous vehicle landscape, operating specific units focused on robotaxi, robotruck, and privately owned vehicle (POV) sectors. The unveiling of the seventh-generation system coincided with the public debut of their robotaxi models at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, showcasing collaborative developments with industry leaders like Toyota, BAIC, and GAC.
The partnership with Toyota, formalized in 2023, has yielded the Toyota bZ4X Robotaxi, which is the first production model to utilize Pony.ai’s advanced technology framework. Additionally, new models from BAIC and GAC, such as the ARCFOX Alpha T5 and the second-generation Aion V robotaxis, have also been introduced.
This month, Pony.ai secured a testing permit in Luxembourg for SAE Level 4 autonomous driving from the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works. Furthermore, the company operates a fully driverless robotaxi service in Shenzhen, China, indicating their capability for safe and paid autonomous vehicle operations.
Source
www.therobotreport.com