GUANGZHOU, China, May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pony AI Inc. ("Pony.ai") (NASDAQ: PONY; HKEX: 2026), a global leader in the large-scale commercialization of autonomous driving technology, reported a sharp increase in robotaxi demand during China’s Labor Day holiday from May 1 to 5, with average daily paid robotaxi orders rising 544% year over year, driven by fleet expansion and growing consumer adoption of autonomous mobility as a daily transportation option.
Compared with the New Year holiday period earlier this year, Pony.ai’s average daily paid orders during the Labor Day holiday increased 155%, according to the company’s latest operating data. The strong holiday performance underscores accelerating demand for driverless ride-hailing services as robotaxis move from early-stage experimentation toward broader commercial use in China.
The growth was supported by Pony.ai’s rapidly expanding robotaxi fleet. Since the launch of its seventh-generation, or Gen-7, robotaxi last year, the company has accelerated mass production and large-scale commercial deployment through partnerships with mobility platforms and automakers. Pony.ai has said it remains on track to exceed its target of 3,000 robotaxi vehicles by the end of 2026, as it expands service coverage and strengthens operational density across key markets.
The latest order surge also reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior. A recent Boston Consulting Group report, Robotaxi on the Road: Approaching Scaled Commercialization in China, found that consumer sentiment toward robotaxis in China is highly positive, with robotaxi services increasingly seen as a compelling alternative to traditional ride-hailing when available. The report noted that more than half of first-time robotaxi riders showed a stronger preference for driverless rides over human-driven services after their initial experience, while surveyed consumers also indicated willingness to replace a meaningful share of their existing ride-hailing trips with robotaxi services as service areas and fleet sizes continue to expand.
During the 2026 Labor Day holiday, Pony.ai’s robotaxi services also played a visible role in supporting large-scale event transportation in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. The "Coming-of-Age Ceremony" concert series by Teens in Times was held at the Greater Bay Area Cultural and Sports Center in Guangzhou’s Nansha district, drawing a total of 220,000 fans and accompanying family members across four performances, with more than 95% of attendees traveling from outside the city.
To support post-event mobility, Pony.ai deployed hundreds of robotaxis during the peak departure windows from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. over four consecutive nights, transporting more than 3,000 concertgoers. The service was also included in the official post-event transportation guidance published by local government, marking a milestone for driverless mobility in large-event traffic management. The operation demonstrated how robotaxis can provide flexible urban transport capacity during concentrated demand surges.
As China’s robotaxi market approaches scaled commercialization, Pony.ai’s Labor Day performance points to rising consumer confidence, stronger operational readiness and the growing role of autonomous mobility in everyday urban life.
About Pony AI Inc.
Pony AI Inc. is a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility. Leveraging its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology, a full-stack autonomous driving technology that seamlessly integrates Pony.ai’s proprietary software, hardware, and services, Pony.ai is developing a commercially viable and sustainable business model that enables the mass production and deployment of vehicles across transportation use cases. Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded its presence across China, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East and other regions, ensuring widespread accessibility to its advanced technology.
