inDrive Eyes 2027 Robotaxi Tests in Kazakhstan with Pony.ai and Nvidia
Ride-hailing company inDrive, known for letting passengers and drivers negotiate fares, is teaming up with Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai and Nvidia to begin testing robotaxis in Kazakhstan in 2027.
The three companies said Friday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to explore bringing Pony.ai's robotaxis onto inDrive's platform β a sign of growing interest in self-driving technology beyond the U.S. and China.
Testing to Begin in Astana in 2027
Trials will start in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, in the first half of 2027, inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik told TechCrunch. The tests will initially include a safety operator, with fully driverless rides as the eventual goal.
Under the proposed plan, Pony.ai would supply its Gen-7 robotaxis, which inDrive would offer through its ride-hailing app and operate in Kazakhstan. Nvidia would provide the AI technology, including its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system.
A Capital-Light Approach
The move comes as ride-hailing companies deepen their push into robotaxis. Earlier this month, Uber announced plans to test Pony.ai's robotaxis in London, where it has also begun offering supervised autonomous rides with British startup Wayve, an investor-backed partner. Uber is also working with multiple robotaxi companies in other markets, including the Middle East.
inDrive, which has built its business around affordable rides, is looking to bring a similar focus to autonomous ride-hailing as it enters a market where Uber and other rivals are already making moves.
"Our approach is capital-light by design," Misnik said. "We work with a range of partners in different markets, combining their expertise with ours to deliver a better customer experience."
Nvidia's Role: Lowering Development Costs
Nvidia says its Hyperion platform could reduce the cost of developing robotaxis by giving companies a ready-made foundation of sensors and computing technology, rather than requiring them to build and integrate everything themselves. The company also offers its Alpamayo model and tools to generate synthetic data and test autonomous driving systems across different driving scenarios.
"Those savings are particularly relevant in emerging markets, where ride-hailing is already relatively affordable and autonomous services need to compete on cost," Ali Kani, Nvidia's vice president of automotive, told TechCrunch.
The announcement coincides with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's first visit to Kazakhstan on Friday.
Pony.ai's Global Expansion
The Kazakhstan proposal would also add to Pony.ai's ongoing push beyond China. The company aims to have more than 3,500 robotaxis operating in over 20 cities worldwide by the end of 2026, up from a fleet of 1,975 vehicles at the end of June.
Last month, Kazakhstan announced plans to launch autonomous taxi services in 2027, with initial trials planned in Astana and two other cities. It has also introduced rules allowing autonomous vehicles to be tested on certain public roads.
Why Astana?
Astana's harsh winters could make it a useful testing ground for robotaxis. The city, with a population of around 1.7 million, offers a demanding environment that could help validate autonomous systems under challenging weather conditions β an important consideration as robotaxi operators seek to prove their technology can handle diverse real-world scenarios.
via TechCrunch AI