ZACKS·2025-09-26 13:46Core Insights - China is emerging as a global leader in autonomous driving, with companies testing self-driving cars in diverse environments and launching robotaxi fleets internationally [1][18] Group 1: Pony.ai - Pony.ai is the only company in China offering fully autonomous robotaxis in all four tier-one cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, covering over 2,000 square kilometers and logging over 50 million kilometers globally [3][7] - The company has extended its operating hours for robotaxis to 24/7 in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, with round-the-clock testing in Beijing, and its "virtual driver" system has accumulated over 500,000 hours of autonomous operation [4][6] - Pony.ai is mass-producing its seventh-generation robotaxi in partnership with GAC and BAIC, with over 200 vehicles deployed and a target of 1,000 by year-end [5] - The company is expanding globally, entering the Singapore market and conducting road tests in Europe and South Korea, with plans for commercial services in Dubai by 2026 [6][7] Group 2: Baidu - Baidu's Apollo Go ride-hailing service provided over 2.2 million fully driverless rides in Q2 2025, a 148% increase year-over-year, totaling over 14 million rides by August [8][10] - The company has partnered with Uber and Lyft to deploy thousands of autonomous vehicles across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, starting with Germany and the U.K. [9][12] - Baidu received the first autonomous driving trial permit in Dubai, allowing a fleet of 50 vehicles to operate, with plans to expand to over 1,000 vehicles by 2028 [10][11] Group 3: WeRide - WeRide is rapidly expanding globally, with an investment from Southeast Asia's Grab to accelerate the deployment of Level 4 robotaxis and shuttles [13][14] - The company is launching its GXR and Robobus vehicles in Singapore, marking the city's first autonomous shuttle service in a residential area [14] - WeRide has received robotaxi permits in Saudi Arabia and is piloting services in Dubai, with plans for full-scale operations in 2026 [15][16] - The company is also deploying autonomous shuttle services in various locations worldwide, including Singapore, France, and the U.S., and has approvals in six countries [16][17]