Pony.ai, Toyota Motor (China) Investment (TMCI), and GAC Toyota Motor (GTMC) have signed a joint venture (JV) agreement to produce and deploy fully driverless robotaxis.

The new company would be established this year with an estimated investment of CNY1bn (US$139m).

“This is an important step for Toyota to carry out ‘Chinese-style succession and evolution’ and also a new stage in our business cooperation with Pony.ai,” said Toyota China CEO Tatsuro Ueda.

GTMC would supply Pony.ai with Toyota BEVs equipped with vehicle redundant systems for L4 autonomous driving. 

These would have Pony.ai's autonomous driving systems and run on its PonyPilot+ platform.

According to Reuters, Peng Jun, Pony.ai CEO, “said the move would support the development of the connected car industry”.

Pony.ai has a fleet of 200 Toyota and Lexus robotaxis in Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen for testing and publicly accessible robotaxi operations.

The three companies said they would form a JV to advance the future mass production and large-scale deployment of fully driverless robotaxis.