As Yuval Noah Harari aptly noted in his book "Homo Deus", "The only constant in history is change." The evolution of technology has brought once fantastical concepts into the realm of reality, paving the way for innovations like autonomous drivingThe month of July 2024 marked a pivotal moment when Baidu's Robotaxi, operated by its subsidiary Roaming Mantis, was introduced in Wuhan, stirring up public discourse surrounding the future of transportation.

However, the seeds of this revolution were sown much earlier, as far back as 2018, with the introduction of the country's first Robotaxi by Pony.ai in Guangzhou's Nansha districtA fleet of these autonomous vehicles, each outfitted with large sensors, traversed the roads, initially mistaken for wind turbines by nearby observersAfter six years of relentless technical development, Pony.ai has significantly streamlined its operating processes, expanding its footprint across major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen—boasting an operational area nearing 2,000 square kilometers.

On December 19, a journalist had the opportunity to experience the Pony.ai Robotaxi firsthand in Nansha

It operated smoothly, executed timely lane changes, and allowed for flexible merging without any apparent differences from traditional taxi rides—except, of course, for the absence of a human driverNevertheless, this technology still calls for a shift in public perception, as many individuals grapple with the inherent novelty of such innovations.

Conversations with various taxi drivers reveal a common sentiment towards these developmentsMany acknowledge that fully autonomous vehicles may not completely displace human drivers anytime soonPhrases such as, "Perhaps this will become mainstream twenty years from now," or "Autonomous vehicles won't outperform human drivers in heavy traffic," were often echoedInterestingly, most taxi drivers expressed an air of nonchalance about the encroaching technology, indicating an acceptance of the changes inevitable in their profession.

From the reporter's perspective, autonomous driving faces a multitude of uncertainties that human drivers do not, including regulatory frameworks, infrastructure compatibility, and the overarching maturity of technology

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Each of these factors plays a critical role in determining how effectively and efficiently autonomous vehicles can operate.

In November of this year, Pony.ai took a momentous step by listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange, buoyed by investor enthusiasmOther key players like Horizon Robotics, WeRide, Black Sesame Technologies, and others also recently entered public markets, creating a burgeoning ecosystem of investment and growth within the autonomous driving sector.

However, CEO and co-founder of Pony.ai, Lou Tiancheng, reminded stakeholders that listing is merely the beginning of their journeyHe envisions a future where artificial intelligence thoroughly transforms how humanity perceives driving and mobilitySince the company’s inception, it has fixated on L4 (Level 4) autonomous driving technology, a segment that offers substantial potential for commercial viability.

In an interview, Zhang Ning, Pony.ai's Vice President and head of the Beijing R&D center, reinforced their commitment to L4 technology, maintaining that their trajectory is backward-compatible with previous initiatives

He stated that Robotaxi was part of their larger vision that extends beyond what they initially presented to the public in 2018.

Zhang articulated the inherent differences between L2 (Level 2) and L4 systems, asserting that these were fundamentally different species of automotive technology, each with unique cost structures and operational requirementsHe highlighted Waymo's early debate on whether to adopt a gradual approach from L2 to L4, concluding that a direct approach was warranted based on experimental results.

Mo Luyi, another Vice President of Pony.ai and head of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen R&D center, echoed Zhang's sentiment, affirming that the company has never wavered from its commitment to L4 Robotaxi technologyFrom introducing their ride-hailing services in 2018 to their regulatory-approved Robotaxi model in 2022, and moving towards fully driverless tests in 2023, they have been steadfast in their mission, even amidst industry skepticism.

Despite these challenges, Pony.ai remains unwavering in its focus on L4 technology while seeking additional resources to support this goal

Zhang noted that while L2 and L4 may appear to be distinctly separate ambitions, they are indeed complementary pathways in the evolution of autonomous systems.

"I greatly welcome the growth of L2++ technologies," Zhang remarked"Without the advancements in L2++, sensor prices wouldn't have decreased as they haveThe cost reductions achieved through L2++ developments create significant operational efficiencies for L4 technologies." This indicates an optimistic outlook, asserting that Pony.ai’s roadmap will continue to navigate towards L4 capabilities while strategically leveraging intermediate technologies.

When discussing the implications of carrying more safety responsibilities, Zhang articulated a profound understanding of the ethical dimensions woven into the autonomous driving narrativeEngaging with the journalistic community, he noted how dilemmas akin to the "trolley problem" in ethics would be managed under existing legal frameworks, further underscoring the gravitas of safety that underpins their operations.

While the pace of development for autonomous vehicles has been noteworthy, the accompanying regulatory landscape is still maturing, leaving some uncertainty in its wake

Mo Luyi emphasized that Pony.ai has actively collaborated with local legislative and regulatory bodies since last year, advocating for policy frameworks that evolve with technological advancementsBy leveraging pilot programs in designated zones, they have been able to collect valuable insights, further aiding the development of supportive laws.

To date, Pony.ai has secured permissions to operate autonomous ride-hailing services in major metropolitan areas—Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen—marking a significant milestone in their journeyIn a shifting landscape where regulators are eager to see faster deployment of autonomous solutions, Mo expressed optimism about the collaborative dynamic between government and businesses in China—citing this as a testament to the accelerated progress being made in the field compared to other countries.

The partnership with automotive giants has similarly intensified over the past year

Notably, a strategic alliance was formed between Pony.ai and GAC Aion in December, with plans to introduce 1,000 Robotaxis by 2025. Mo Luyi characterized this collaboration not merely as a client-supplier relationship, but as a mutually beneficial partnership where both parties excel based on their unique strengths.

Reflecting on their historical collaboration, Mo recalled how initiatives dating back to 2019 have culminated in the creation of several L4 Robotaxi models equipped with Pony.ai's advanced autonomous systemsThe focus on safety and accountability remains paramount as Zhang reiterated their commitment to being held responsible for the operational safety of their autonomous vehicles, emphasizing that they will always assume the primary responsibility for any incidents, differentiating between mechanical failures and software-induced issues.

The question of convincing more riders to opt for a driverless taxi is an ongoing challenge that requires utmost diligence in ensuring safety