inDrive prepares robotaxi trials in Kazakhstan with Pony.ai and Nvidia

inDrive is working with Pony.ai and Nvidia on a robotaxi project in Kazakhstan. According to TechCrunch, the companies announced on Friday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to explore integrating Pony.ai vehicles into inDrive’s booking platform.

inDrive’s chief technology officer, Yuri Misnik, says trials are due to begin in Astana in the first half of 2027. They would initially involve a safety operator. Driverless rides are a later goal, rather than a capability already demonstrated within this partnership.

Under the proposed division of responsibilities, Pony.ai would supply its Gen-7 robotaxis. inDrive would offer them through its app and operate them in Kazakhstan. Nvidia would provide AI technologies, including the Hyperion platform and the Halos safety system. These roles are part of the proposed plan: the memorandum of understanding does not prove that the entire setup is already operational.

The choice of Astana gives the project a particular technical challenge. TechCrunch describes winters marked by snow and ice that could put autonomous driving systems to the test. inDrive founder Arsen Tomsky presents these very conditions as an opportunity for evaluation.

The program’s value will therefore depend on the trial results and operating conditions. The initial presence of an operator limits what can be concluded about full autonomy. The announced timetable remains that of a future experiment, with no established date for a driverless service.