Pony.ai, a Chinese autonomous vehicle startup listed in the U.S., experienced its first robotaxi fire on May 13 in Beijing. No passengers were on board, and the incident resulted in no injuries. The autonomous vehicle had detected an abnormal status and automatically stopped before catching fire. Service workers quickly responded and coordinated with authorities to contain the situation. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. This comes amid intensified competition between Chinese and U.S. electric and autonomous vehicle manufacturers, with Pony.ai partnering with major automakers such as Toyota and BAIC to expand its fleet and reduce costs.
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