Driverless Ride-Hailing in China Pony.ai's Services and Future Outlook

TapTechNews July 14th news, the hot topic of "driverless ride-hailing" has recently received attention. Pony.ai publicly replied to netizens' hot questions about autonomous driving travel services today.

TapTechNews attached the highlights of this Q&A as follows:

Does Pony.ai provide driverless ride-hailing services?

Pony.ai launched the earliest autonomous driving travel service (Robotaxi) in China at the end of 2018 in Guangzhou and successfully expanded to Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. It has been the sixth year up to now.

Can driverless cars be on the road in China?

Sure! After nearly a decade of accumulation, China is the country with the fastest development of autonomous driving technology. Pony.ai has "got on the job with license" in the four megacities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, and there are many models, including autonomous passenger cars and trucks.

Where can I get a Pony.ai vehicle? Is there an operating time?

Pony.ai's autonomous driving travel service covers Beijing (Yizhuang, Daxing Airport), Shanghai (Jiading), Guangzhou (Nansha), and Shenzhen (Qianhai, Bao'an, Nanshan), and we will continue to expand the range in the future.

The service operating time is from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm.

How to ensure getting a driverless car?

After confirming the destination, users can click "Pickup Preference" in the lower left corner of the Pony.ai App and set it to "only arrange driverless vehicles".

Because there are differences in the policies and regulations of each city, currently users can get fully driverless vehicles in Beijing and Guangzhou. In other cities, there is a chance to experience driverless vehicles with "no one in the main driver's seat".

What's the speed of driverless cars?

Normally when the road is unobstructed, the speed of autonomous vehicles can reach up to 80 kilometers per hour in urban areas and 120 kilometers per hour on highways.

If there is no driver in the car and I have an urgent matter to interrupt the trip, what should I do?

In case of an emergency, you can click the "Remote Assistance" button in the lower right corner of the passenger screen in the car, or call 4006780026 to call a remote expert, and we will cooperate to solve your needs as soon as possible.

Can I buy one of your driverless cars and let it work for me?

It is not currently allowed by policies and regulations, but who says the dream can't be realized one day in the future.

With the gradual promotion of driverless ride-hailing, there are voices pointing out whether driverless will seize the jobs of taxis and ride-hailing drivers and whether it will replace drivers. Zhang Ning, vice president of Pony.ai, said in an interview that it will take at least 5 years for driverless to impact the traditional travel market and will not completely replace people.