Robotaxi startup Pony.ai gains taxi license in China city

elf-driving tech company Pony.ai, backed by Toyota Motor Corp, said on Sunday it has obtained a taxi license in China, which will allow some of its driverless vehicles to start charging fares.

The company said it was the first autonomous driving company in the country to do so.

The startup said it was awarded the license to operate 100 driverless vehicles in the Guangzhou city district of Nansha.

Pony.ai last year also won approval to launch paid driverless robotaxi services in Beijing and has since begun offering rides.

In Beijing, however, rides are being offered in a much smaller, industrial zone on a trial basis, a Pony.ai spokesperson said.

According to the company’s statement, in Nansha it will start charging fares in the entire 800 square km of the district with driverless cars. Passengers can hail and pay for rides with Pony.ai’s own app.