Uber and Pony.ai to test Gen-7 robotaxis in London

Uber and Pony.ai plan to begin testing Pony.ai’s Gen-7 robotaxis on London streets in the coming weeks, the companies said. The trial would be an early step, not a public launch: it is intended to put the company’s newest self-driving system through its paces in the city ahead of any future Uber booking service. It also illustrates Uber’s route into autonomous taxis: rather than build the driving technology itself, it plugs outside specialists into its app. Pony.ai supplies the automated-driving system, while the companies have not yet said who would own and operate a London fleet.