Shares of autonomous driving pioneer Pony.ai (NASDAQ: PONY) surged this week on a flurry of market-moving developments, headlined by reports of preliminary takeover talks involving Uber Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: UBER) and its co-founder, Travis Kalanick. According to sources familiar with the matter, the early-stage discussions could see Kalanick return to the autonomous driving space by leading Pony.ai, though financial specifics and Uber’s potential ownership stake remain undisclosed.
The acquisition buzz follows a major milestone for the company, Pony.ai’s inclusion in the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index, effective June 23. The index, which tracks U.S.-listed Chinese firms across sectors such as technology, EVs, and e-commerce, now counts Pony.ai as the only pure-play autonomous driving company among its 73 constituents. The news sent shares soaring 16.7% on Monday, marking the stock’s largest single-day gain since its 2024 listing.
“We see this as a pivotal moment,” said Leo Wang, Pony.ai’s CFO. “Being added to this key benchmark increases our visibility with global investors and supports our mission of scaling autonomous mobility worldwide.”
These twin catalysts come on the heels of Pony.ai’s intensified commercialization push, including its seventh-generation Robotaxi system, which launched public road testing earlier this month in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The Gen-7 platform, co-developed with GAC, features 100% automotive-grade components, a 70% reduction in bill-of-materials cost, and proprietary AI navigation software designed to exceed human safety standards in all weather conditions. The system is being pre-installed into mass-production-ready vehicles, positioning Pony.ai to deploy over 1,000 Robotaxis by the end of 2025.
Already operating a fleet of approximately 300 autonomous vehicles across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, Pony.ai has logged more than 45 million kilometers in test mileage and over 500,000 hours of fully driverless operation—a track record that solidifies its status as a global AV leader.
Adding to investor enthusiasm is Pony.ai’s strategic alliance with Uber, announced last month, to deploy Robotaxis on Uber’s platform. If the acquisition rumors materialize, Travis Kalanick’s return to a central leadership role could supercharge both companies’ efforts to dominate the future of ride-hailing and autonomous mobility.
Together, index recognition, robotaxi scaling, and potential high-profile leadership changes are placing Pony.ai squarely in the market’s spotlight—and for now, its stock is clearly enjoying the ride.
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