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Uber rival inDrive eyes 2027 robotaxi tests in Central Asia with Pony.ai and Nvidia
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Ride-hailing company inDrive has signed a memorandum of understanding with Pony.ai and Nvidia to test robotaxis in Kazakhstan in the first half of 2027. The plan would bring Pony.ai’s Gen-7 robotaxis onto inDrive’s platform, with Nvidia supplying its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system. Initial tests in Astana will begin with a safety operator onboard.
The partnership reflects growing interest in self-driving technology beyond the United States and China. inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik said fully driverless rides are the eventual goal. The company calls its approach “capital-light by design,” working with partners rather than building autonomous technology itself.
Pony.ai aims to operate more than 3,500 robotaxis in over 20 cities by the end of 2026, up from 1,975 vehicles at the end of June. Nvidia says Hyperion can lower robotaxi development costs by providing ready-made sensors and computing technology. Ali Kani, Nvidia’s automotive vice president, said such savings matter in emerging markets where ride-hailing is already affordable.
The announcement coincided with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s first visit to Kazakhstan on Friday. Kazakhstan plans to launch autonomous taxi services in 2027, with trials in Astana and two other cities, and has introduced testing rules for certain public roads. Astana, home to around 1.7 million people, faces months of snow and ice.
inDrive CEO Arsen Tomsky said Astana would provide an important opportunity to evaluate autonomous driving in challenging winter conditions. He added that success there could offer insights for expanding autonomous mobility to similar locations. In December, inDrive also signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s AI Driver to explore WeRide-powered autonomous vehicles, starting in Riyadh.
Misnik said inDrive is exploring other markets for deployments. A favorable regulatory environment is a main requisite for successful launches, he noted. The Kazakhstan trial could show whether robotaxis work in harsh winters and cost-sensitive markets.
