Autonomous vehicle technology firm Pony.ai proudly announced on WeChat that its PonyTron self-driving trucks have officially gained authorities’ approval for open road testing.
PonyTron secures approval
The city government of Guangzhou has just granted Pony.ai’s autonomous driving trucks the license that will legally allow L4 formation testing on open roads.
According to the company’s announcement, the license it secured in Guangzhou authorizes the testing of five PonyTrons.
It is crucial for the company to further advance its autonomous truck operations nationwide. It will also aid the company in intensifying its R&D efforts about self-driving technology.
Impressively, Pony.ai has already covered a total of 3 million km (~1.9 million miles) in its testing programs. It also recorded 610,000 km of autonomous commercial operations to date.
Planned testing
Pony.ai apparently plans to launch PonyTron’s L4 “formation” testing on open roads in Guangzhou.
According to the company, this testing approach employs a “1 + N” technique that involves one autonomous truck leading other L4 autonomous trucks. This testing method apparently cuts operating costs and enhances efficiency during freight routes, Electrek indicated.
“By eliminating the braking difference time between front and rear vehicles and shortening the following distance, the front vehicle can break the wind for the rear vehicle, effectively reducing air resistance, thereby reducing carbon emissions and achieving greener travel, while improving road use and efficiency, alleviating road congestion and reducing traffic accidents.”
OpenAi
Pony.ai’s advancements
Pony.ai, established more than seven years ago, has been expanding its autonomous robotaxi operations in China for years. Now, the company has officially reached the commercial truck segment with its first-ever approval in Guangzhou.
Pony.ai apparently partnered with major automotive players like Toyota, GAC Group, and NIO Capital. It officially launched its robotaxi app in December 2018, enabling it to lead the autonomous vehicle industry in China.
It was the first company to commercialize autonomous taxi services in Beijing and Guangzhou. It is also one of the pioneers in several tier-1 cities like Shanghai and Shenzen.
In addition, it has already reached the US market, particularly in Tucson and Arizona. It also plans to expand its operations in Saudi Arabia with a new partnership.
All that said, Pony.ai has really come a long way to reach its current position. The new license it secured from Guangzhou officials will undoubtedly aid the company in advancing its research and development efforts that can improve its autonomous trucks. In effect, it can revolutionize China’s logistics industry.
Below is the video of Pony.ai’s PonyTron autonomous driving trucks:
