Qataris hail Chinese robotaxis as Gulf embraces driverless cars
Three Chinese companies have publicly announced plans to roll out the autonomous vehicles in the Gulf.
Chinese autonomous mobility company Pony AI announced a partnership on Friday with Mowasalat, Qatar’s largest transportation service provider, to begin deploying robotaxis on Doha’s roads.
Pony AI stated in a press release on Friday that it had started testing its autonomous vehicles in the Qatari capital, with the trials focusing on adapting the robotaxis to the country’s weather, road infrastructure and traffic conditions.
“This deployment with Pony AI marks a significant milestone in our journey towards realizing Qatar’s National Vision 2030,” Mowasalat chief executive Ahmed Hassan Al-Obaidly wrote in the release, adding that it "aligns perfectly with our strategic goals to innovate and provide cutting-edge solutions for the people of Qatar."
Al-Monitor has contacted Pony AI and Mowasalat for more details.
