Four AT128 Lidar Sensors from Hesai Selected as Primary Lidar for All Pony.ai Seventh-Generation Robotaxis

Rhea-AI Summary

Hesai Group (Nasdaq: HSAI) announced that its AT128 lidar sensor has been chosen as the primary lidar solution for Pony AI's seventh-generation Robotaxi fleet. Each vehicle will be equipped with four AT128 lidar sensors, showcasing Hesai's role in autonomous driving advancement.

The announcement coincides with Pony.ai's unveiling of their seventh-generation automotive-grade L4 autonomous driving platform at the Shanghai Auto Show. The new system features 100% automotive-grade ADK, 70% reduced BOM costs, and has logged over 500,000 hours of real-world autonomous operation with tenfold safety improvement over human drivers.

The AT128 lidar offers 120° ultra-high-resolution field of view, 200-meter detection range, and 1.53 million points of data per second, enabling comprehensive 360° obstacle detection for safe navigation in complex traffic environments.

Positive

• Selected as exclusive lidar provider for Pony.ai's new Robotaxi fleet
• Four AT128 sensors per vehicle indicates significant revenue potential
• Partnership with major autonomous driving company strengthens market position
• AT128 demonstrates superior technical specifications suitable for mass production

Negative

• None.

Insights

Automotive Technology Expert

Hesai's AT128 lidar chosen for Pony.ai Robotaxis delivers critical sensing capability for advanced autonomous operation with automotive-grade reliability.

Pony.ai's selection of four Hesai AT128 lidar sensors per vehicle across their seventh-generation Robotaxi models represents significant technological validation. The AT128's specifications are impressive: 120° field of view, 200-meter detection range, and 1.53 million data points per second. These capabilities enable the comprehensive 360° obstacle detection essential for L4 autonomous operation in complex urban environments.

What makes this integration particularly notable is the automotive-grade qualification of the AT128, a crucial requirement for mass production of autonomous vehicles. This qualification addresses one of the fundamental challenges in bringing autonomous technology to market - ensuring sensors can withstand automotive environmental conditions while maintaining reliability.

The implementation appears to be supporting impressive real-world performance, with Pony.ai reporting over 500,000 hours of fully autonomous operation with a tenfold improvement in safety compared to human drivers. The AT128's integration into Pony.ai's system, which achieved a 70% reduction in bill-of-materials costs compared to previous generations, suggests Hesai has successfully balanced high performance with commercial viability - a critical balance for scaling autonomous vehicle technology.

Financial Analyst

Hesai secures major commercial win with Pony.ai deploying four AT128 lidars per vehicle across their seventh-generation Robotaxi fleet.

This partnership represents a significant commercial win for Hesai in the competitive lidar market. The selection of four AT128 units per vehicle across three different Robotaxi models creates substantial volume potential as Pony.ai begins scaled production of their autonomous fleet. While the announcement at the Shanghai Auto Show doesn't disclose specific order quantities or financial terms, the integration across multiple vehicle platforms suggests meaningful potential scale.

Strategically, this partnership validates Hesai's product-market fit in the highest-performance segment of autonomous vehicles. Pony.ai's system represents cutting-edge autonomous technology - the world's first to deliver full-scenario, fully driverless L4 autonomy powered by automotive-grade chips. By securing this high-profile integration, Hesai strengthens its position in the premium autonomous driving sensor market.

The announcement describes this as a "deepened collaboration," suggesting this builds upon an existing relationship rather than representing an entirely new partnership. This customer retention and expansion indicates Hesai's technology continues to meet the evolving requirements of a sophisticated autonomous driving leader. As Pony.ai transitions toward scaled commercial deployment of their Robotaxi fleet, this could translate to growing sensor volumes for Hesai, though specific production timelines aren't disclosed in the announcement.

SHANGHAI, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hesai Group (Nasdaq: HSAI), the global leader in lidar technology for automotive mobility and robotic applications, today announced that its long-range, automotive-grade AT128 lidar has been selected as the primary lidar solution for all three mass production models of the new seventh-generation Robotaxi unveiled by Pony AI Inc. (Nasdaq: PONY), a global leader in the large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility. Each vehicle will be equipped with four Hesai's AT128 lidar sensors, demonstrating Hesai's critical role in enabling advanced autonomous driving capabilities.

The announcement was made at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (the "Shanghai Auto Show"), where Pony.ai unveiled the seventh-generation automotive-grade L4 autonomous driving hardware and software platform. The platform will be used across three new Robotaxi models, which are now undergoing road-testing across multiple regions, marking the beginning of scaled production for Pony.ai's next-generation autonomous fleet.

"The integration of Hesai's AT128 lidar sensor across Pony.ai's next-generation Robotaxi lineup marks a significant milestone in our partnership." said David Li, Co-Founder and CEO of Hesai. "We are proud to provide the core lidar technology powering one of the world's most advanced autonomous driving platforms, and we remain committed to delivering cutting-edge lidar solutions that empower our partners to scale safe and intelligent mobility."

Pony.ai's latest system features a 100% automotive-grade autonomous driving ("ADK"), a 70% reduction in bill-of-materials ("BOM") costs compared to the previous generation, and a modular platform architecture that allows seamless adaptation across multiple vehicle models. The system is also the world's first to deliver full-scenario, fully driverless L4 autonomy powered by automotive-grade chips and Pony.ai's proprietary "PonyWorld" technology. To date, the Robotaxi fleet has logged over 500,000 hours of real-world, fully autonomous operation, demonstrating a tenfold improvement in safety compared to human drivers.

Central to this breakthrough is Hesai's AT128 lidar, a benchmark-setting long-range sensor with a 120° ultra-high-resolution field of view, a 200-meter detection range, and an industry-leading 1.53 million points of data per second. The advanced sensing capability enables comprehensive 360° obstacle detection and ranging, ensuring safe navigation in the most complex traffic environments. It is uniquely designed for scaled deployment of driverless vehicles.

This deepened collaboration further strengthens Hesai's position at the forefront of the global autonomous driving industry and reflects the Company's continued investment in R&D for next-generation lidar technologies.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/four-at128-lidar-sensors-from-hesai-selected-as-primary-lidar-for-all-ponyai-seventh-generation-robotaxis-302437274.html

SOURCE Hesai Technology

FAQ

What are the key specifications of Hesai's AT128 lidar sensor used in Pony.ai Robotaxis?

The AT128 lidar features a 120° ultra-high-resolution field of view, 200-meter detection range, and processes 1.53 million points of data per second with 360° obstacle detection capability.

How many AT128 lidar sensors will be installed in each Pony.ai seventh-generation Robotaxi?

Each Pony.ai seventh-generation Robotaxi will be equipped with four Hesai AT128 lidar sensors.

What improvements does Pony.ai's seventh-generation autonomous driving system offer?

The system features 100% automotive-grade ADK, 70% reduction in BOM costs, and has demonstrated a tenfold safety improvement over human drivers with 500,000 hours of autonomous operation.

How will the Hesai (HSAI) and Pony.ai partnership impact autonomous driving development?

The partnership enables scaled production of advanced autonomous vehicles, combining Hesai's cutting-edge lidar technology with Pony.ai's L4 autonomous driving platform across multiple Robotaxi models.