inDrive, Pony.ai and Nvidia sign a memorandum to bring robotaxis to Astana, with tests due in the first half of 2027, inDrive's technology chief says

inDrive, Pony.ai and Nvidia have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore autonomous ride-hailing, with Kazakhstan as the first market, inDrive said in a release on 23 October. In the release's words, “inDrive and Pony.ai plan to launch robotaxis in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, using Pony.ai's Gen-7 robotaxis.”

Pony.ai would supply the vehicles. inDrive would supply its ride-hailing platform and run the service. Nvidia would provide its Hyperion sensor and computing platform and its Halos safety system. The release gives no launch date or fleet size, and says the launch would follow an agreement with the government of Kazakhstan, without saying that agreement has been signed.

inDrive's chief technology officer, Yuri Misnik, told TechCrunch that testing will start in Astana in the first half of 2027, at first with a safety operator on board, with fully driverless rides as the eventual goal.

The release says inDrive operates in more than 1,200 cities in 47 countries. After Astana, the companies will look at other Kazakh cities and other inDrive markets. It calls Astana “the second-coldest capital in the world”, which would make it a winter test for the cars.

• Confirmed inDrive, Pony.ai and Nvidia signed an MOU to explore robotaxi ride-hailing, with Kazakhstan the first market. inDrive and Pony.ai, Business Wire release
• Claimed The launch would follow an agreement with Kazakhstan's government; no date or fleet size is given. inDrive and Pony.ai, Business Wire release
• Reported Testing starts in Astana in the first half of 2027 with a safety operator, inDrive's CTO told TechCrunch. TechCrunch