Pony.ai becomes China's first to secure cross-provincial license for autonomous freight trucks

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Pony.ai, the Chinese autonomous driving solution provider, was recently recognized as the first Chinese enterprise to obtain a cross-provincial license for the demonstration application of autonomous heavy-duty trucks by the Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission, the Tianjin Municipal Commission of Industry and Information Technology, and the Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau. 

Photo credit: Pony.ai

Collaborating with Sinotrans, Pony.ai is set to offer autonomous highway freight services on the Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu Expressway, marking a significant milestone in achieving cross-provincial autonomous logistics.

Leveraging this demonstration application, Pony.ai and Sinotrans aim to establish a highway logistics network connecting Beijing and Tianjin, setting the benchmark for L4 autonomous driving heavy truck logistics in the North China region. As a flagship within Sinotrans’ contract logistics sector, the company will utilize its leading position and resource advantages to match large customers and cargo sources, driving the practical implementation of intelligent logistics in real freight scenarios.

The approved autonomous testing segments on the Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu Expressway exceed 100 kilometers. Pony.ai's autonomous trucks will undergo testing at speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour on this cross-provincial highway, with a safety operator present in the driver's seat.

Pony.ai has been actively exploring long-haul and dedicated logistics freight transport with autonomous trucks in various regions across China. Its autonomous trucks demonstrate the capability to navigate through complex road types, diverse weather conditions, and varying lighting conditions. To date, Pony.ai and its joint venture, CYANTRON, have accumulated nearly 4 million kilometers in autonomous truck testing, covering a total freight weight of nearly 20 million tonne-kilometers.