Car maker Stellantis and Chinese autonomous driving technology firm Pony.ai have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to accelerate the development and deployment of robotaxis in Europe.

The collaboration, through Pony.ai’s European division headquartered in Luxembourg, will integrate Pony.ai’s autonomous driving software with Stellantis’ medium-size van (K0) AV-Ready platform to deliver safe, scalable and efficient urban mobility.

The companies plan to begin deploying test vehicles based on the Peugeot e-Traveller model in Luxembourg in the coming months, followed by a gradual rollout across European cities in 2026. The real-world testing will focus on validating safety, performance and regulatory readiness.

The initial focus of the partnership will be on light commercial vehicles (LCVs), a segment where Stellantis, through Pro One, holds a strong position in Europe.

Stellantis’ broad LCV portfolio enables seamless scaling tailored to Europe’s diverse mobility landscape. Their size, flexibility, total cost of ownership and efficiency make them suitable for applications from compact robotaxis to multi-passenger vans accommodating up to eight people.

“Driverless vehicles have the potential to transform the way people move in our cities, offering safer and more affordable options for communities,” said Ned Curic, Stellantis chief engineering and technology officer. “To bring this vision to life, we’ve built Stellantis’ AV-Ready platforms and are partnering with the best players in the industry. Pony.ai stands out for their technical expertise and collaborative approach.”

James Peng, Pony.ai CEO, added: “We are delighted to partner with Stellantis to bring our autonomous mobility technology to Europe. Their strong European presence and portfolio of iconic brands make them the ideal partner to help accelerate our growth in this key market.”

The AV-Ready platform has been upgraded to support SAE level-four capabilities through technology updates, adding enablers such as system redundancies and sensor suites compatibility to integrate an autonomous driving software stack. This ensures compliance with the safety and reliability standards for hands-off, eyes-off operation.

While centred on LCVs, the collaboration lays the groundwork for broader applications, potentially involving autonomous mobility services for goods and people.

Stellantis (www.stellantis.com) has a portfolio of iconic brands including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys.

Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded its presence across China, Europe, east Asia, south-east Asia, Middle East and other regions. It commercially operates fully driverless robotaxi services across all four tier-one cities in China – Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The firm’s fleet consists of over 500 robotaxis and more than 170 robotrucks. To date, Pony.ai has driven more than 55 million autonomous testing and operation kilometres on open roads worldwide.