Chinese autonomous driving startup Pony AI opens European R&D center in Luxembourg

Pony AI opened a European R&D centre in Luxembourg in Sep to focus on exploring and developing cutting-edge areas of autonomous driving and launching customized solutions for the European market, the Chinese autonomous driving startup said today.

The company will promote autonomous driving technologies and products to Luxembourg and Europe as a whole based on the R&D centre, and carry out cooperation activities, it said in an announcement.

In addition, Pony AI signed an MoU with Luxembourg-based mobility company Emile Weber on Oct 23, which will see the two companies collaborate to promote the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles and technologies.

Emile Weber is a Luxembourg-based integrated mobility service provider with more than 150 years of operating history, and its main business includes the provision of public and personal transportation services, cab operations, vehicle rental, and tourism services, according to the announcement.

Pony AI and Emile Weber have agreed that autonomous driving will play a key role in Luxembourg's future transportation ecosystem, the Chinese startup said.

The partnership is an important part of Pony AI's globalization strategy, which will bring autonomous driving technology capabilities, engineering experience and product systems to more markets by joining hands with industry partners, its co-founder and CEO Peng Jun said.

Pony AI currently has R&D centers in China, the US, and Europe, the company said, adding that it is ramping up its overseas presence as L4 autonomous driving technology as well as robotaxi and robotruck business models mature.

In addition to Luxembourg, Pony AI has autonomous driving operations in South Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The startup, backed by Toyota and Nio Capital, has received seven rounds of funding totaling more thanUSD$1.3 billion before its planned IPO.