Pony.ai aims to deploy 1,000 robotaxi in Middle East by 2028

Chinese self-driving company Pony.ai said it plans to deploy 1,000 robotaxis in the Middle East in the coming three years, as part of its broader push in one of the world's most dynamic metropolitan hubs.

"We hope to launch 1,000 units of robotaxis in the Middle East by 2028," said Ann Shi, vice-president of strategy and business development at Pony.ai.

The company showcased its autonomous driving technologies and a robotaxi model that is being deployed on Thursday in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport 2025 held on Wednesday and Thursday.

The move is in line with Dubai's vision to transform its 25 percent of urban trips to be smart and autonomous by 2030 as the company inked a strategic partnership in July with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai to deploy its robotaxi fleet in the region. The two parties are now jointly advancing the deployment of Level-4 autonomous mobility solutions in the emirate.

Under local testing permits, Pony.ai has begun pilot testing in certain areas. The service is scheduled to be launched commercially without a driver in 2026. The long-term objective is to integrate autonomous ride-hailing services into Dubai's public transport network, supporting the city's broader ambitions to enhance road safety, improve quality of life and deliver more efficient and sustainable mobility options for residents and visitors.

James Peng, founder and CEO of Pony.ai, said, "Dubai's robust transport infrastructure, supportive policy environment, and public acceptance of emerging technologies give us confidence in promoting the large-scale adoption of autonomous driving technology. We are committed to accelerating the deployment of our robotaxi services in Dubai and across the broader Middle East market."

Additionally, Pony.ai is also working with global ride-hailing platform Uber to integrate its robotaxi into the Uber app, with initial deployments anticipated in the Middle East.

Since this year, it has begun mass production and deployment of its seventh-generation autonomous driving system, which was unveiled in April. By August, its fleet had expanded to over 500 vehicles, offering fully driverless ride-hailing services across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Just a week ago, the company announced its entry into Singapore through a collaboration with ComfortDelGro to deploy autonomous vehicles. Earlier in September, it partnered with Mowasalat "Karwa", Qatar's leading transport service provider, to introduce self-driving technology on Qatari roads.

As of now, Pony.ai has secured robotaxi testing permits across six major markets, including the United States, China, South Korea, Luxembourg, Qatar and the UAE.