Gasgoo Munich- Pony.ai and JD Auto Service have formed a strategic partnership to develop a standardized maintenance and supply-chain system for large autonomous-vehicle fleets.
Image source: Pony.ai
Announced on July 21, the agreement brings together an autonomous-driving company and a nationwide automotive aftermarket platform in what the two companies describe as the first comprehensive partnership of its kind in China. It also signals the emergence of a specialized aftermarket for Robotaxis, where keeping vehicles in service is becoming as important as expanding fleet size.
Pony.ai already operates a unified fleet-management system across its markets, covering vehicle dispatch, maintenance and day-to-day operations. The company credits this standardized approach with improving vehicle reliability and availability.
That operating infrastructure has also supported the economics of its Gen-7 Robotaxis, which Pony.ai says have reached breakeven or positive unit economics in some of China's largest cities.
The companies will work across five interconnected areas: maintenance coverage, parts supply, dedicated off-peak servicing, standardized repair procedures and automated operating systems. Rather than treating these as separate services, the partners aim to connect them into a single maintenance process designed specifically for autonomous fleets.
JD Auto Service locations in cities where Pony.ai operates will form a grid of designated maintenance sites. When a vehicle develops a fault, it can be directed to a nearby participating store, reducing travel and waiting time before repairs begin.
The arrangement is intended to minimize vehicle downtime, a particularly important consideration for Robotaxi fleets because revenue depends heavily on how many hours each vehicle remains available for passenger service.
Image source: Pony.ai
The partners will also establish a tiered inventory system for Robotaxi-specific parts and maintenance materials. Routine servicing requirements will be separated from emergency repair needs, while inventory will be adjusted dynamically according to fleet operating cycles.
This model is designed to reduce both repair delays caused by unavailable components and the cost of holding excessive inventory across multiple cities.
Selected JD Auto Service stores will reserve dedicated service bays for Pony.ai vehicles during off-peak periods. Maintenance can therefore be scheduled around each fleet's busiest operating hours, allowing more Robotaxis to remain available when passenger demand is highest.
Pony.ai and JD Auto Service will jointly develop operating procedures covering vehicle inspection, repair, post-service checks and compliant handover.
The goal is to create a repeatable maintenance standard for autonomous vehicles. Such procedures must account not only for conventional vehicle components but also for the sensors, computing hardware and other systems required for driverless operation.
The companies also plan to connect their digital systems for maintenance management, work-order dispatch, service acceptance and payment reconciliation.
By automating the process from fault reporting through repair completion, Pony.ai aims to reduce administrative work and give fleet managers clearer, real-time visibility into vehicle status and maintenance progress.
Pony.ai founders James Peng and Tiancheng Lou have repeatedly framed Robotaxi commercialization as a system-level challenge involving autonomous-driving capability, cost structure and fleet operations.
As driverless services expand, technical performance on public roads remains essential, but it must be accompanied by reliable maintenance, dispatch and supply-chain systems if fleets are to operate consistently and profitably.
That capability is becoming more important as Pony.ai accelerates its expansion. The company plans to deploy services in more than 20 cities worldwide this year and is targeting a Robotaxi fleet of over 3,500 vehicles.
JD Auto Service's existing aftermarket infrastructure could provide early operational support in newly entered cities, shortening the time needed to establish local maintenance capacity. Pony.ai had previously said it expected to exceed 3,000 Robotaxis by the end of 2026, indicating that its latest target represents a further increase.
JD Auto Service's nationwide footprint gives Pony.ai access to a denser maintenance network than it could readily build on its own. JD's automotive service arm has more than 2,200 self-operated locations and over 40,000 partner outlets, according to the company. JD.com
Faster repair response should help Pony.ai keep more vehicles operating in high-demand districts and during peak travel periods. For passengers, the intended result is a more consistent experience regardless of when or where a ride is requested.
Tighter cost control has become central to Robotaxi unit economics. Pony.ai says its Gen-7Robotaxis achieved positive unit economics in Guangzhou and Shenzhen during the second half of 2025 as vehicle costs declined and revenue increased.
The JD Auto Service partnership is intended to lower expenses across the vehicle lifecycle, including inspection, routine maintenance, repairs and parts procurement. Standardized procedures and faster service could also reduce repeat repairs and prolonged downtime.
For Pony.ai, the commercial value of the agreement therefore extends beyond cheaper maintenance. It provides part of the operating infrastructure needed to turn a growing collection of autonomous vehicles into a scalable, consistently available and economically sustainable mobility service.
