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

Key points

• inDrive, Pony.ai and Nvidia signed a memorandum of understanding to explore robotaxi testing in Kazakhstan.
• Testing is planned to begin in Astana in the first half of 2027, starting with a safety operator.
• Pony.ai would supply Gen-7 robotaxis, while Nvidia would provide its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system.

Ride-hailing company inDrive is working with Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai and Nvidia to begin testing robotaxis in Kazakhstan in 2027. The three companies said Friday they had signed a memorandum of understanding to explore bringing Pony.ai's robotaxis to inDrive's platform.

Testing will start in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, in the first half of 2027, inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik told TechCrunch. The tests will initially include a safety operator, with fully driverless rides as the eventual goal.

Roles of the partners

Under the proposed plan, Pony.ai would provide its Gen-7 robotaxis, which inDrive would offer through its ride-hailing app and operate in Kazakhstan. Nvidia would supply the AI technology, including its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system.

Nvidia says its Hyperion platform could lower the cost of developing robotaxis by providing a ready-made foundation of sensors and computing technology. Ali Kani, Nvidia's vice president of automotive, told TechCrunch that such savings are particularly relevant in emerging markets, where ride-hailing is already relatively affordable and autonomous services need to compete on cost.

Our approach is capital-light by design

— Yuri Misnik

Winter testing and wider plans

Astana's harsh winters could make it a useful testing ground, with months of snow and ice posing challenges for autonomous driving systems. inDrive founder and CEO Arsen Tomsky said success in Astana could offer valuable insights for expanding autonomous mobility to other locations facing similar challenges.

The announcement coincides with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's first visit to Kazakhstan on Friday. inDrive is also exploring robotaxis elsewhere, including a separate December agreement with Saudi Arabia's AI Driver to explore deploying autonomous vehicles powered by Chinese self-driving firm WeRide, starting with Riyadh.