Toyota plans to invest US$400m in Pony.ai, a self-driving technology startup with operations in Silicon Valleyand the Chinese city of Guangzhou, it has been widely reported.

The two companies have been collaborating on autonomous driving technologies since last year and plan to launch a series of self-driving car trials on the roads of Beijing and Shanghai in the near future.

Pony.ai has been testing self-driving taxis in China and California over the last two years andclaims to be the first to offer commercial autonomous ride-hailing services in China.

Toyota has been conducting autonomous driving trials at its closed test facility in Michigan for some time and has also invested US$500m in a mobility services partnership with ride-hailing firm Uber.

The Japanese automaker plans to offer limited ride-hailing services in Tokyo during the 2020 Summer Olympics to test its "Chauffeur" fully-autonomous driving software. Toyota also an advanced driver-assist software system, called Guardian, which has yet to be commercialised.

Toyota's investment values Pony.ai at around US$3bn and takes their relationship to the next level, allowing for the joint development of new mobility services.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.