Uber rival inDrive eyes 2027 robotaxi tests in Central Asia with Pony.ai and Nvidia

What happened

inDrive, a ride-hailing app known for letting riders and drivers agree on prices, said it will work with Pony.ai and Nvidia. They signed a memorandum of understanding, which is a first step that is not yet a final deal. The plan is to test robotaxis in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, in the first half of 2027. At first, a safety operator will sit in the vehicle. The long-term goal is fully driverless rides.

Key numbers and facts

• Testing is planned to start in the first half of 2027 in Astana.
• Astana has about 1.7 million people.
• Pony.ai aims to have more than 3,500 robotaxis in over 20 cities by the end of 2026.
• Pony.ai had 1,975 vehicles at the end of June.
• Kazakhstan plans to launch autonomous taxi services in 2027, with trials in Astana and two other cities.

Background

Robotaxis are taxis with no human driver. Ride-hailing companies such as Uber are also testing them in many places, including London and the Middle East. inDrive is also exploring robotaxis in Saudi Arabia with WeRide, a Chinese self-driving firm, but it is not clear yet whether that testing has started.

Why it matters

Self-driving taxis are spreading beyond the U.S. and China. Nvidia says its ready-made tools could cut the cost of building robotaxis, which matters in cheaper ride markets. Astana's long, snowy winters also make it a hard test for self-driving cars.

What to watch

• Whether the memorandum of understanding becomes a full deal.
• Whether testing in Astana starts in the first half of 2027.
• How the safety operator phase goes before any fully driverless rides.
• Whether Pony.ai reaches its goal of 3,500 robotaxis by the end of 2026.