inDrive to Test Pony.ai Robotaxis in Kazakhstan in 2027 with Nvidia Technology
Initial tests in Astana are planned for the first half of 2027, with Pony.ai’s Gen-7 robotaxis using Nvidia’s Hyperion and Halos systems. A safety operator will ride initially; fully driverless service is the eventual goal in the city of 1.7 million.
Ride-hailing company inDrive announced in October 2026 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai and Nvidia to begin testing robotaxis in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, in the first half of 2027.
Under the proposed plan, Pony.ai will provide its Gen-7 robotaxis, which inDrive will offer through its ride-hailing app and operate in Kazakhstan. Nvidia will supply the AI technology, including its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system. Testing will initially involve a safety operator, with fully driverless rides as the eventual goal, inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik told TechCrunch.
The announcement coincided with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s first visit to Kazakhstan. Nvidia’s vice president of automotive, Ali Kani, noted that the company’s Hyperion platform could lower robotaxi development costs by providing a ready-made foundation of sensors and computing technology — a factor he described as “particularly relevant in emerging markets, where ride-hailing is already relatively affordable.”
inDrive founder and CEO Arsen Tomsky pointed to Astana’s harsh winters — the city of roughly 1.7 million faces months of snow and ice — as a key reason for the location. “Success in Astana could offer valuable insights for expanding autonomous mobility to other locations facing similar challenges,” he said.
The deal reflects a broader push by ride-hailing companies into autonomous vehicles. Earlier in October 2026, Uber announced plans to test Pony.ai’s robotaxis in London and has been working with multiple robotaxi companies across other markets, including the Middle East. Pony.ai itself aims to have more than 3,500 robotaxis operating in over 20 cities worldwide by the end of 2026.
Kazakhstan is not the only autonomous vehicle market inDrive is pursuing. In December, the company signed a separate agreement with Saudi Arabia’s AI Driver to explore deploying autonomous vehicles powered by WeRide in Riyadh, targeting a pilot in the first half of 2026, though it remains unclear whether testing has begun. inDrive operates in more than 1,200 cities across 47 countries.