Chinese autonomous-driving technology firms are stepping up their push into overseas markets,with insiders saying that the trend underscores the sector's rapid development advantages in innovation,scalability and global integration.
Chinese autonomous-driving company Pony.ai has made its official entry into the Singapore market through a partnership with ComfortDelGro Corp,the city-state's largest transport operator,the company told the Global Times in a statement on Saturday.The collaboration will see the deployment of autonomous vehicles and related services to facilitate daily mobility for local residents.
The first phase of the rollout will begin in Punggol,a northeastern district of Singapore,with autonomous ride-hailing services to be launched once regulatory approval is secured,the company said.
Pony.ai's Singapore move comes as commercial applications of autonomous-driving technology gain traction worldwide.
Just two weeks earlier,the company signed a cooperation agreement with Qatar's state-owned transport company Mowasalat to launch robotaxi road tests in Doha,expanding its footprint in the Middle East.Pony.ai's global presence now spans the US,Singapore,South Korea,the United Arab Emirates,Qatar,and Luxembourg,reflecting an increasingly diversified international strategy.
The momentum is not limited to Pony.ai.On September 8,another Chinese autonomous-driving firm,QCraft,announced a deepened partnership with Qualcomm,pledging to deliver intelligent driving solutions globally by 2026 and to establish its European headquarters in Germany,the Beijing News reported.
At the same time,leading players in China's autonomous-driving supply chain have secured a string of high-value international contracts,underscoring the industry's technological strength and growing competitiveness on the global stage.
On September 15,Hesai Technology said it signed a lidar supply deal worth more than$40 million with a leading US robotaxi company.On the same day,Joyson Electronics announced new program designations from two major global automakers for intelligent vehicle projects,with total life cycle orders valued at about 15 billion yuan($2.07 billion).On September 8,Momenta signed a deal with Uber to begin Level-4 robotaxi tests in Munich,Germany,in 2026,according to the Beijing News.
From the early years of technology adoption to today's large-scale technology exports,Chinese autonomous-driving companies are reshaping the global landscape of smart mobility.Industry insiders noted that they are no longer simply following behind international giants.Instead,with strengths in technology solutions,cost control and massive data capabilities,Chinese firms are becoming indispensable partners in cross-border collaboration.
Insiders said that as new mobility concepts take hold and emerging enterprises gain momentum,consumers are steadily showing growing acceptance of intelligent travel.
A report released by iiMedia Research showed that consumers have shifted from relying on traditional driving modes to the convenience and safety of autonomous driving,which has driven the continuous release of commercial demand for driverless technology.
Analysts from iiMedia Research noted that China's driverless car industry is moving toward a new stage of scale and deep integration.Policy dividends will continue to be released,and the state will actively promote the improvement of regulations and the construction of test demonstration zones.Technological breakthroughs are accelerating,with significant progress in areas such as artificial intelligence algorithms,high-precision maps,and automotive-grade chips.
From 2024 to 2029,China's driverless car market will enter an"explosive growth channel,"expanding exponentially.It is expected to exceed 120 billion yuan in 2029,becoming one of the fastest-growing core tracks in the intelligent transportation field,according to iiMedia Research.
