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

Ride-hailing firm inDrive, recognized for letting passengers and drivers negotiate fares, is working with Chinese autonomous driving agency Pony.ai and Nvidia to start testing robotaxis in Kazakhstan in 2027.

The corporations mentioned Friday that that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to discover bringing Pony.ai’s robotaxis to inDrive’s platform — a mirrored image of the rising curiosity in self-driving know-how past the U.S. and China.

Testing will start in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, within the first half of 2027, inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik instructed TechCrunch. The assessments will initially contain a security operator, with absolutely driverless rides because the eventual aim.

Under the proposed plan, Pony.ai would supply its Gen-7 robotaxis, which inDrive would supply by means of its ride-hailing app and function in Kazakhstan. Nvidia, however, would provide the AI know-how, together with its Hyperion platform and Halos security system.

The transfer comes as ride-hailing corporations develop their push into robotaxis. Earlier this month, Uber introduced plans to test Pony.ai’s robotaxis in London, the place it has additionally began providing supervised autonomous rides with British startup Wayve, an investor-backed partner. Uber can also be working with a number of robotaxi corporations in different exchanges, together with the Middle East.

inDrive, which has constructed its trade round reasonably priced rides, is seeking to carry an identical focus to autonomous ride-hailing because it explores a market the place Uber and different rivals are already making strikes.

“Our strategy is capital-light by design,” mentioned Misnik. “We work with a spread of companions in numerous exchanges, combining their experience with ours to ship a greater buyer expertise.”

Nvidia says its Hyperion platform might decrease the price of growing robotaxis by giving corporations a ready-made basis of sensors and computing know-how, somewhat than requiring them to construct and combine all the things themselves. The firm additionally presents its Alpamayo mannequin and instruments to generate artificial knowledge and take a look at autonomous driving programs throughout completely different driving eventualities.

“Those financial savings are significantly related in rising exchanges, the place ride-hailing is already comparatively reasonably priced and autonomous providers have to compete on price,” Ali Kani, Nvidia’s vice chairman of automotive, instructed TechCrunch.

The announcement coincides with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s first go to to Kazakhstan on Friday.

The Kazakhstan proposal would additionally add to Pony.ai’s ongoing push past China. The firm goals to have more than 3,500 robotaxis working in over 20 cities worldwide by the top of 2026, up from a fleet of 1,975 autos on the finish of June.

Last month, Kazakhstan announced plans to launch autonomous taxi providers in 2027, with preliminary trials deliberate in Astana and two different cities. It has additionally launched guidelines for autonomous autos to be examined on sure public roads.

Astana’s harsh winters might make it a helpful testing floor for robotaxis. The metropolis, with a inhabitants of round 1.7 million, faces months of snow and ice, posing challenges for autonomous driving programs.

“Launching right here will present an essential alternative to guage autonomous driving know-how in difficult winter situations,” inDrive founder and CEO Arsen Tomsky mentioned. “Success in Astana might supply helpful insights for increasing autonomous mobility to different places going through related challenges.”

Kazakhstan is just not the one market the place inDrive is exploring robotaxis. In December, the corporate signed a separate settlement with Saudi Arabia’s AI Driver to discover deploying autonomous autos powered by Chinese self-driving agency WeRide, beginning with Riyadh. The corporations had focused a pilot within the first half of 2026, although it stays unclear whether or not testing has begun.

“We are additionally taking a look at various different exchanges for future deployments,” mentioned Misnik. “One of the principle requisites for profitable launch in our view is a positive and collaborative regulatory atmosphere to facilitate protected and sustainable testing on the roads.”

inDrive operates in additional than 1,200 cities throughout 47 nations. The firm has additionally expanded beyond ride-hailing into supply, intercity transportation, and monetary providers.