PONY AI Inc. and Mowasalat Deploy Robotaxi on Public Roads in Doha, Qatar
Pony AI (NASDAQ:PONY) has announced a strategic partnership with Mowasalat (Karwa), Qatar's largest transportation provider, to deploy autonomous vehicles in Doha. The collaboration marks Pony.ai's expansion in the Middle East, now covering Dubai and Qatar.
The initial phase includes testing Robotaxis on public roads in Doha with safety operators onboard, focusing on adapting autonomous driving technology to Qatar's unique environment. Mowasalat, owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, operates the nation's largest ground transportation fleet and will help integrate autonomous driving solutions as part of Qatar National Vision 2030.
Pony AI (NASDAQ:PONY) ha annunciato una partnership strategica con Mowasalat (Karwa), il principale fornitore di trasporti del Qatar, per l'introduzione di veicoli autonomi a Doha. Questa collaborazione segna l'espansione di Pony.ai in Medio Oriente, estendendo la presenza dall'ormai operativo Dubai al Qatar.
La fase iniziale prevede test di Robotaxi su strade pubbliche a Doha con operatori di sicurezza a bordo, con l'obiettivo di adattare la tecnologia di guida autonoma alle condizioni specifiche del paese. Mowasalat, controllata dalla Qatar Investment Authority, gestisce la più grande flotta di trasporto terrestre nazionale e contribuirà all'integrazione delle soluzioni di guida autonoma nell'ambito della Visione Nazionale del Qatar 2030.
Pony AI (NASDAQ:PONY) ha anunciado una alianza estratégica con Mowasalat (Karwa), el mayor proveedor de transporte de Catar, para desplegar vehículos autónomos en Doha. La colaboración supone la expansión de Pony.ai en Oriente Medio, sumando Catar a su presencia en Dubái.
La fase inicial incluye pruebas de Robotaxis en vías públicas de Doha con operadores de seguridad a bordo, centradas en adaptar la tecnología de conducción autónoma al entorno particular de Catar. Mowasalat, propiedad de la Qatar Investment Authority, opera la flota terrestre más grande del país y ayudará a integrar las soluciones de conducción autónoma dentro de la Visión Nacional de Catar 2030.
Pony AI (NASDAQ:PONY)가 카타르 최대 교통업체인 Mowasalat (Karwa)와 전략적 파트너십을 맺고 도하에 자율주행차를 도입한다고 발표했습니다. 이번 협력으로 Pony.ai의 중동 진출은 두바이에 이어 카타르까지 확대됩니다.
초기 단계에서는 안전 요원이 탑승한 상태로 도하 공공도로에서 로보택시(Robotaxis)를 시험 운영하며 카타르 특유의 환경에 맞게 자율주행 기술을 조정하는 데 중점을 둡니다. 카타르 투자청(Qatar Investment Authority)이 소유한 Mowasalat는 국가 최대의 지상 교통 운송망을 운영하며, 카타르 국가 비전 2030(Katar National Vision 2030)의 일환으로 자율주행 솔루션 통합을 지원할 예정입니다.
Pony AI (NASDAQ:PONY) a annoncé un partenariat stratégique avec Mowasalat (Karwa), le principal opérateur de transport du Qatar, pour déployer des véhicules autonomes à Doha. Cette collaboration marque l'expansion de Pony.ai au Moyen-Orient, après Dubaï et désormais au Qatar.
La phase initiale prévoit des essais de Robotaxis sur les routes publiques de Doha avec des opérateurs de sécurité à bord, visant à adapter la technologie de conduite autonome au contexte spécifique du Qatar. Mowasalat, détenue par la Qatar Investment Authority, exploite la plus grande flotte terrestre nationale et contribuera à intégrer les solutions de conduite autonome dans le cadre de la Vision nationale du Qatar 2030.
Pony AI (NASDAQ:PONY) hat eine strategische Partnerschaft mit Mowasalat (Karwa), dem größten Verkehrsanbieter Katars, bekanntgegeben, um autonome Fahrzeuge in Doha einzuführen. Die Zusammenarbeit bedeutet eine Expansion von Pony.ai im Nahen Osten und ergänzt die Präsenz in Dubai um Katar.
In der Anfangsphase sind Tests von Robotaxis auf öffentlichen Straßen in Doha mit Sicherheitsfahrern an Bord geplant, wobei der Fokus darauf liegt, die autonome Fahrtechnik an die speziellen Bedingungen in Katar anzupassen. Mowasalat, im Besitz der Qatar Investment Authority, betreibt die größte landgestützte Fahrzeugflotte des Landes und wird die Integration autonomer Fahrlösungen im Rahmen der Qatar National Vision 2030 unterstützen.
- Strategic expansion into Qatar's autonomous mobility market through partnership with the country's largest transportation provider
- Integration with Qatar National Vision 2030 provides strong government backing and support
- Access to Mowasalat's extensive infrastructure and transportation network for deployment
- Further expansion of Middle East presence, now covering multiple key markets including Dubai
- Initial testing phase still requires safety operators, indicating early-stage deployment
- Need for significant technology adaptation to Qatar's unique weather and road conditions
- No immediate revenue generation mentioned from this partnership
Insights
Pony.ai expands to Qatar through Mowasalat partnership, advancing its global autonomous mobility footprint with public road testing.
Pony.ai's partnership with Mowasalat (Karwa) represents a strategic expansion of its autonomous mobility footprint into the Middle East, now covering Dubai, Qatar, and other regional markets. This deployment is particularly noteworthy as it involves actual public road testing of robotaxis in Doha with safety operators onboard – a critical first step in localizing autonomous driving technology for Qatar's specific conditions.
The choice of Mowasalat as a partner is technically significant. As Qatar's largest transportation service provider, fully owned by the Qatar Investment Authority and overseen by the Ministry of Transport, Mowasalat brings substantial infrastructure advantages and regulatory alignment. Their experience managing transportation during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 demonstrates operational capabilities at scale under challenging conditions.
From a technical perspective, this testing phase focuses on adapting Pony.ai's autonomous driving stacks to Qatar's unique environmental challenges. The Middle East presents distinctive autonomous driving complications including extreme heat, potential sandstorms, and unique road infrastructure that requires specialized training for AI systems. These adaptations represent valuable intellectual property and experience that strengthens Pony.ai's technology portfolio.
This partnership aligns with Qatar's National Vision 2030, which emphasizes technological advancement and sustainable development. For Pony.ai, this represents both a commercial opportunity and a technical testbed that could enhance their autonomous driving systems' adaptability across diverse conditions – a crucial competitive advantage in the global autonomous vehicle market.
DOHA, Qatar, Sept. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pony AI Inc. (“Pony.ai” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: PONY), a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility, today announced a partnership with Mowasalat (“Karwa”), Qatar’s largest transportation service provider, together deploying autonomous vehicles on the country’s roads. This collaboration represents another significant step in Pony.ai’s vision of “autonomous mobility everywhere” and further expands its presence in the Middle East, now covering Dubai, Qatar, and other key markets.
Under this partnership, Pony.ai’s Robotaxis have recently begun testing on public roads in Doha, the capital of Qatar. This initial phase, conducted with safety operators onboard, marks an important milestone in localizing autonomous driving technology for Qatar’s unique driving environment. The trials are focused on adapting Pony.ai’s autonomous driving stacks to the nation’s weather, road infrastructure, and traffic conditions.
Mowasalat, which is fully owned by the Qatar Investment Authority and overseen by the Ministry of Transport, operates the nation’s largest ground transportation fleet, including taxis, buses, limousines, and corporate transport services. Its strong local ties and extensive infrastructure make it the ideal partner for Pony.ai to deploy autonomous mobility solutions in Qatar. This collaboration aligns directly with Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of transforming the country into an advanced society through sustainable development.
“This deployment with Pony.ai marks a significant milestone in our journey towards realizing Qatar’s National Vision 2030,” said Eng. Ahmed Hassan Al-Obaidly, CEO of Mowasalat. “Building on our success in managing world-class transport operations during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, we are now integrating advanced autonomous driving technologies into our transportation framework. This not only enhances the efficiency and safety of our services but also contributes to the sustainable development of Qatar’s infrastructure. This initiative aligns perfectly with our strategic goals to innovate and provide cutting-edge solutions for the people of Qatar.”
“This partnership marks a major milestone in expanding our global footprint by creating ecosystem synergies through collaboration with local partners,” said Dr. James Peng, Chairman and CEO of Pony.ai. “Qatar presents a unique environment for autonomous driving deployment, and Mowasalat’s deep local knowledge makes it an ideal partner. Together, we aim to build a resilient and scalable autonomous driving solution that supports sustainable mobility across the region.”
About Pony AI Inc.
Pony AI Inc. is a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility. Leveraging its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology, a full-stack autonomous driving technology that seamlessly integrates Pony.ai’s proprietary software, hardware, and services, Pony.ai is developing a commercially viable and sustainable business model that enables the mass production and deployment of vehicles across transportation use cases. Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded its presence across China, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East and other regions, ensuring widespread accessibility to its advanced technology. For more information, please visit: https://ir.pony.ai.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Pony.ai’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Pony.ai’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Pony.ai does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
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