Pony.ai Cleared for Road Tests of Driverless Truck Fleet

What’s new: Robotaxi operator Pony.ai Inc. has secured a license from the Guangzhou government to test a small fleet of driverless trucks on the city’s public roads, marking the Toyota-backed startup’s latest effort to pave the way for large-scale operations of its autonomous freight services.

Five trucks powered by Level 4 self-driving technology have been licensed for the test, under which one will lead the convoy with the other four following, according to a company statement on Wednesday. Pony.ai said this can help improve transport efficiency and lower operating costs.