Pony AI and BAIC New Energy deepen strategic cooperation comprehensively to jointly build a global commercialization benchmark for autonomous driving

This cooperation is based on five pillars: 'product co-creation, market expansion, industrial chain integration, ecosystem building, and capital integration.' Both parties stated,The 'five-in-one' upgraded cooperation aims to leverage billions of dollars of investment to drive the development of the trillion-dollar intelligent driving industry,marking the transition from single-project cooperation to full-system development. Zhang Ning, Vice President of Pony AI and Head of the Robotaxi business, and Zhang Guofu, Vice General Manager of BAIC Group and Chairman of BAIC New Energy, signed the deepened cooperation agreement at BAIC New Energy's second Technology Day and released the cooperation achievements in the L4 field.

In terms of jointly expanding the market, they will work together to promote the 'China solution' for autonomous driving, which has been validated in China’s first-tier cities, to go global. The two parties will introduce the benchmark model, the Arcfox Alpha T5 Robotaxi, and its operational system to strategic markets such as the Middle East and Europe. This cooperation is not only about vehicle exports but also represents a globalization output spanning technical standards, operational models, and business ecosystems. Pony AI has previously established a presence in eight countries including Luxembourg, Qatar, the UAE, and South Korea, and its accumulated localization experience and infrastructure will support this overseas expansion.

In the 2.0 phase of cooperation, Pony AI and BAIC New Energy will aim for long-term collaboration, achieving new cooperation in terms of the industrial chain, ecosystem, and capital integration.

Industrial Chain IntegrationAt this level, both parties will initiate actions to 'supplement, build, stabilize, and upgrade the chain' around the supply chain, leading China's L4 autonomous driving mass production process. Pony AI will deeply integrate with BAIC New Energy's OEM supply chain system, specifically optimizing performance requirements, maintenance costs, and lifecycle costs for L4 vehicles, continuously reducing the BOM (Bill of Materials) and operational costs of Robotaxis. Additionally, by defining new standards and driving new demands, the two sides will jointly cultivate and strengthen the local high-end intelligent driving supply chain cluster, injecting high-end smart manufacturing momentum into regional economic development.

Ecosystem Co-constructionAt this level, BAIC New Energy will coordinate and integrateHuaxia Travel under the BAIC Groupand other mobility platforms, as well as after-market resources such as repair, maintenance, and charging, deeply integrating them with Pony AI’s Robotaxi fleet. Both parties aim to connect the entire value chain from vehicle R&D, production, customer acquisition, operation, maintenance, and financing, accelerating the large-scale implementation and profitability of autonomous driving mobility services to serve a broader user base.

Capital SynergyOn this level, both parties will further deepen capital linkage based on the existing solid mutual investment foundation. Future capital cooperation will be more closely aligned with goals such as technology R&D, supply chain investment, and global market expansion, forming a deeply integrated pattern of 'joint technology research, business expansion, and capital investment.'

Pony AI's Zhang Ning stated that the vehicles jointly developed and produced by both parties,the ARCFOX Alpha T5 Robotaxi model, have exceeded a production scale of 600 units,which not only helps Pony AI surpass its target of reaching a 'thousand-unit scale' for Robotaxis by 2025 but also injects momentum towards achieving a fleet of 3,000 Robotaxis by the end of 2026.

Currently, the Pony AI's Alpha T5 Robotaxi has been fully launched in Beijing and Shenzhen, covering areas such as Yizhuang in Beijing and Nanshan and Bao'an districts in Shenzhen, as well as travel scenarios like airports and high-speed rail stations. This year, the plan is to expand to more first-tier cities in China to meet local users' diverse travel and experience needs, bringing autonomous driving into daily life.

As a new benchmark L4 model, the Alpha T5 Robotaxi offers comprehensive upgrades in pick-up and riding experiences, providing a more comfortable and intelligent travel experience. During pick-up, it features one-touch vehicle movement, multi-effect welcome lights, and Bluetooth-enabled door opening functions, improving vehicle recognizability and convenience. For the ride, relying on Pony AI's self-developed world model and virtual driver technology, the driving smoothness is optimized, reducing motion sickness commonly experienced in electric vehicles; the cabin voice and entertainment interaction further assist visually impaired users in achieving barrier-free travel.

Pony AI and BAIC New Energy stated that the 'five-in-one' strategic partnership marks a new phase in their relationship. Facing the vast industrial wave of autonomous driving, both parties will move forward together with closer collaboration, more innovative models, and stronger commitment, jointly promoting the large-scale implementation and global development of advanced intelligent driving technologies, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to the transformation of global transportation.