Ride-hailing company inDrive has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai and Nvidia to begin testing robotaxis in Kazakhstan in 2027, according to TechCrunch. The tests will start in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, in the first half of 2027, inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik told TechCrunch.
The companies said Friday that they will explore bringing Pony.ai's robotaxis to inDrive's platform. Testing will initially involve a safety operator, with fully driverless rides as the eventual goal. The move reflects growing interest in self-driving technology beyond the U.S. and China.
Robotaxi plans and technology partners
Under the proposed plan, Pony.ai would supply its Gen-7 robotaxis, which inDrive would offer through its ride-hailing app and operate in Kazakhstan. Nvidia would provide the AI technology, including its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system.
Nvidia says its Hyperion platform could lower the cost of developing robotaxis by giving companies a ready-made foundation of sensors and computing technology, rather than requiring them to build and integrate everything themselves. The company also offers its Alpamayo model and tools to generate synthetic data and test autonomous driving systems across different driving scenarios.
- Pony.ai will provide its Gen-7 robotaxis.
- inDrive will offer the rides through its ride-hailing app and operate them in Kazakhstan.
- Nvidia will supply AI technology, including its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system.
