GUANGZHOU, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 8, 2025--
Pony.ai (NASDAQ: PONY), a global leader in the large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility, announced that it plans to provide driverless transportation services at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), one of the world's busiest airports. Pony.ai also plans to gradually expand its robotaxi transportation services into urban Hong Kong in the future. The Airport Authority Hong Kong recently showcased several autonomous vehicles to the media, including Pony.ai's seven-seat, sixth-generation robotaxi. Pony.ai plans to initially shuttle airport employees.
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This announcement is a major milestone and represents a substantial first step for Pony.ai's leading autonomous vehicle technology in the Hong Kong market. Hong Kong will provide even more unique driving opportunities for Pony.ai's leading autonomous vehicle technology to shine, including: left-side of the road driving, dense traffic and a highly complex driving environment such as special types of traffic intersections.
HKIA is one of the world's busiest airports by passenger and cargo volume. Pony.ai currently operates paid robotaxi services to and from Beijing Daxing International Airport and is testing its autonomous vehicles on the main roadways to and from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
This news comes on the heels of a December 27th announcement in which Pony.ai was named among the first batch of companies to receive mutual recognition qualification in operating cross-regional autonomous robotaxi services throughout major cities in China's Greater Bay Area region, including Guangzhou and Shenzhen, among them. In the future, Pony.ai's autonomous vehicles will seamlessly shuttle between mutually recognized locations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with cross-city autonomous vehicle services connecting airports and high-speed rail stations, providing local residents with safe, reliable and convenient robotaxi transportation experiences.
Pony.ai is among the first in China to obtain licenses to operate fully driverless vehicles in all four Tier-1 cities in China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen) and has begun to offer public-facing, fare-charging robotaxi services without safety drivers in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Pony.ai has also expanded its presence to Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and other markets, ensuring widespread accessibility to its advanced technology.
On the public roads of China’s metropolises, Pony.ai has achieved what was once only depicted in science fiction — building a car that drives itself. Today, a commute in a driverless Pony.ai robotaxi is not merely a display of groundbreaking technology, but becoming a part of the daily lives for many residents in these communities. As intuitive as a trip in a traditional taxi, hailing a ride with Pony.ai’s robotaxi offers everyone a revolutionary mobility option to make streets safer and greener, changing the way the world moves.
Pony.ai's average daily orders received per robotaxi exceeded 15 in the six months ended June 30, 2024, setting a key milestone toward large-scale commercialization of Level 4 robotaxis.
About Pony.ai
Pony AI Inc. (“Pony.ai”) (NASDAQ: PONY) is a global leader in the large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility. Leveraging its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology – a full-stack autonomous driving technology that seamlessly integrates its proprietary software, hardware, and services, Pony.ai is developing a commercially viable and sustainable business model that enables the mass production and deployment of vehicles across transportation use cases. Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded its presence across China, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and other regions, ensuring widespread accessibility to its advanced technology. Pony.ai is among the first in China to obtain licenses to operate fully driverless vehicles in all four Tier-1 cities in China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen) and has begun to offer public-facing, fare-charging robotaxi services without safety drivers in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Pony.ai operates a fleet consisting of over 250 robotaxis. To date, Pony.ai has driven nearly 40 million autonomous testing and operation kilometers (nearly 24.8 million miles) on open roads worldwide.
Autonomous vehicles recently displayed at Hong Kong International Airport, including Pony.ai's seven-seat, sixth-generation robotaxi (Photo: Business Wire)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wildfires that ripped through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles forced many Hollywood stars, including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods, to evacuate their homes.
California firefighters are battling wind-whipped fires tearing across the area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as the fires burned uncontained early Wednesday.
The Pacific Palisades neighborhood is a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity residences and memorialized by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit “Surfin’ USA.” In the frantic haste to get to safety, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot, some toting suitcases.
“Evacuated Malibu so last minute,” wrote Hamill in an Instagram post Tuesday night. “Small fires on both sides of the road as we approached (the Pacific Coast Highway).”
Less than 72 hours before, Hollywood’s highest-wattage stars had convened to walk the Golden Globes’ red carpet, the first major event of the exuberant and, for many, triumphant awards season. The revelry of awards season had quickly been snuffed out, too: Premieres of contenders like “Better Man” and “The Last Showgirl” were canceled, the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced via press release instead of at a live event and weekend events like the AFI Awards were preemptively scrubbed.
The Oscar nominations are also being delayed two days to Jan. 19 and the film academy has extended the voting window to accommodate members affected by the fires.
Here's how celebrities and entertainment companies are being impacted by the fires burning in and around Los Angeles:
Jamie Lee Curtis said Wednesday on Instagram that her family is safe, but she suggested her neighborhood and possibly her home is on fire. She said many of her friends lost their homes.
“It's a terrifying situation and I'm grateful to the firefighters and all of the good Samaritans who are helping people get out of the way of the blaze."
Other stars who have homes in the area include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Many are awaiting word on whether their homes survived the flames.
Mandy Moore said her family evacuated too and has since tried to shield her kids from the “immense sadness and worry” that she currently feels.
“So gutted for the destruction and loss,” she posted in her Instagram story. “Don't know if our place made it.”
Woods posted footage Tuesday of flames burning through bushes and past palm trees on a hill near his home. The towering orange flames billowed among the landscaped yards between the homes.
“Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate,” Woods said in the short video on X. Later, he confirmed he had evacuated and added: “It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”
Officials didn’t give an estimate of structures damaged or destroyed in the wildfire, but they said at least 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders and nearly 30,000 structures were under threat.
The fire burned down Temescal Canyon, a popular hiking area surrounded by dense neighborhoods of multimillion-dollar homes. Flames jumped famous Sunset Boulevard and burned parts of the Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie,” the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday” and the TV series “Teen Wolf.”
The Palisades fire also destroyed the historic ranch house that belonged to Hollywood legend Will Rogers. It was among multiple structures destroyed at both Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, built by William Randolph Hearst in 1929, also burned down.
Rogers’ ranch, built on land he bought in the 1920s, occupied some 359 acres in what is now Pacific Palisades. It included a 31-room ranch house, a stable, golf course and riding trails. His wife donated it to California State Parks in 1944.
The Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for Sunday, have been postponed until Feb. 26.
Film studios canceled two movie premieres due to the fire and windy weather, the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park closed for the day due to the smoky and windy conditions and the J. Paul Getty Trust said two of its museums, the Getty Villa and Getty Center, would remain closed for the next few days.
Universal Studios also canceled shooting for numerous series, including “Hacks,” “Ted Lasso” and “Suits LA.”
The Walt Disney Co. closed its headquarters in Burbank, and canceled production on several series, including “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Doctor Odyssey.” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” which tapes in Hollywood, was canceled for Wednesday and will instead air a repeat.
The production pauses added to further disruptions to the film and TV industry in Los Angeles, including the cancellation of the premiere to Universal’s “Wolf Man” and postponement of the American Film Institute awards gala, scheduled for Friday.
Crew members carry out signs for the new film "Wolf Man" after the premiere was cancelled due to high winds in the area on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
