inDrive plans robotaxi tests in Kazakhstan with Pony.ai and Nvidia

In short: inDrive says it will begin testing self-driving taxis in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the first half of 2027, working with Pony.ai and Nvidia.

What happened

Ride-hailing company inDrive, which lets riders and drivers negotiate fares, said it has signed an agreement to explore putting Pony.ai robotaxis on the inDrive app. Robotaxis are cars that are meant to drive themselves, like a taxi with no human driver.

According to inDrive, testing would start in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, in the first half of 2027. inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik told TechCrunch that the early tests will include a safety operator. That is a person in the vehicle who can take over if something goes wrong, similar to a driving instructor with an extra set of pedals.

Under the proposed plan, Pony.ai would provide its Gen-7 robotaxi vehicles. inDrive would operate them in Kazakhstan and offer them through its app. Nvidia would provide technology used for the car’s onboard computer and safety systems.

Kazakhstan has also been preparing for this shift. The country has said it wants to launch driverless taxi services in 2027 and has introduced rules that allow testing on certain public roads. Astana’s long, icy winters may also make it a tough place to test whether these vehicles can handle real-world conditions.

Why it matters

Robotaxi tests are spreading beyond the US and China. If these trials go well, people in Astana could eventually see ride-hailing options that do not rely on a human driver, but the timeline depends on safety results and local rules.

Source: TechCrunch AI