Pony.ai announced that the company is expanding its testing of autonomous vehicles to Tucson, Arizona.
According to Sun Corridor Inc, Tucson’s regional economic development agency, the company is partnering with Pima Community College.
Pony.ai will set up its base of operations at the newly opened Automotive Technology and Innovation Center in Pima’s downtown campus.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero noted this about the announcement:
We are excited to welcome Pony.ai to Tucson as the following site of their autonomous vehicle pilot. Our city is known as a hub for innovation and smart technologies, and now we have a unique opportunity to partner with Pony.ai to test new technologies that can help us create safer streets.
While Pony.ai’s co-founder and CEO James Peng noted this:
Tucson is quickly becoming a leading city for tech startups and smart city technology, and Pony.ai is excited to expand our operations there.
He also stated that the city of Tucson, Sun Corridor and the Arizona Department of Transportation helped make the company’s expansion to Tucson “seamless.”
Pony.ai has driven more than 9.3 million miles for autonomous testing and operations worldwide.
Currently, the company is testing in Guangzhou and Beijing in China, along with Irvine and Fremont in California.
However, operations are currently suspended in California after a crash in February led to a suspension of Pony.ai’s state permit.
