Stellantis, China’s Pony AI to test robotaxis in Europe

Stellantis plans to team up with Chinese robotaxi operator Pony AI to start testing autonomous vans in Luxembourg.

The agreement involves a battery-powered minivan as the initial fleet model for “accelerating the development and deployment of robotaxi solutions in Europe,” the companies said Friday (Oct 17). The pact marks the first time Pony AI, a Guangzhou-based startup backed by Toyota Motor, is partnering with a major Western carmaker.

The trials, set to start “in the coming months,” will be based on the eight-seater Peugeot e-Traveller. The collaboration taps the companies’ self-driving capabilities for Level 4 autonomous systems that enable a vehicle to perform all driving tasks within certain conditions, with human override still an option.

The pair said they plan a wider deployment of robotaxis to other European cities from next year.

Shares of Stellantis traded in New York rose 1.4 per cent to US$10.37 as of 9.45 am, while Pony AI fell 2.7 per cent to US$19.87.

Pony AI is competing with a range of Chinese robotaxi operators like WeRide and Baidu’s Apollo Go that are quickly expanding into international markets. In September, Pony AI and WeRide partnered with local companies in Singapore to offer autonomous vehicles to consumers.

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Alphabet’s Waymo, a sister company to Google, and Baidu’s Apollo Go have plans to launch robotaxi services in London, while Uber Technologies and Beijing Momenta Technology are expected to start tests in Munich from 2026. BLOOMBERG