Ride-hailing platform inDrive, which built its reputation on a fare-negotiation model between passengers and drivers, has entered into a partnership with Chinese autonomous vehicle company Pony.ai and chip and AI giant Nvidia to begin robotaxi trials in Kazakhstan by 2027.

The three companies announced on Friday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to explore integrating Pony.ai's self-driving vehicles into inDrive's ride-hailing platform. The agreement reflects a broader trend of autonomous vehicle technology expanding into markets outside the United States and China.

According to inDrive Chief Technology Officer Yuri Misnik, the initial testing phase is scheduled to begin in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital city, during the first half of 2027. Early trials will include a safety operator seated in the vehicle, with the long-term objective being fully unattended, driverless passenger trips.

How the Partnership Is Structured

Under the terms of the proposed arrangement, Pony.ai will supply its Gen-7 robotaxi vehicles, which inDrive plans to make available through its existing mobile app and operate locally within Kazakhstan. Nvidia's role in the collaboration centers on providing the underlying artificial intelligence infrastructure, specifically its Hyperion sensor and computing platform along with its Halos safety system.

Nvidia argues that its Hyperion platform can meaningfully reduce the cost of building and deploying robotaxis by offering companies a pre-integrated foundation of sensors and computing hardware. This approach removes the need for each company to source, develop, and integrate these core components independently. Nvidia also offers its Alpamayo model alongside tools designed to generate synthetic training data and simulate a wide range of driving scenarios for testing autonomous systems.

"Those savings are particularly relevant in emerging markets, where ride-hailing is already relatively affordable and autonomous services need to compete on cost," said Ali Kani, Nvidia's Vice President of Automotive.

The announcement was timed to coincide with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's inaugural visit to Kazakhstan on Friday.

A Capital-Light Strategy for Autonomous Expansion

For inDrive, the Kazakhstan pilot is part of a deliberate approach to entering the autonomous vehicle space without committing heavy capital investment upfront. The company has positioned itself as a platform operator that leverages the capabilities of specialized technology partners across different regional markets rather than developing proprietary self-driving technology of its own.

"Our approach is capital-light by design," Misnik said. "We work with a range of partners in different markets, combining their expertise with ours to deliver a better customer experience."

This strategy mirrors how inDrive has historically differentiated itself in the highly competitive ride-hailing sector - by focusing on affordability and operational flexibility rather than attempting to outspend larger rivals on technology development.

Kazakhstan as a Testing Ground

The choice of Astana as the launch location for robotaxi testing carries both strategic and practical significance. The Kazakhstani government announced last month that it intends to introduce autonomous taxi services in 2027, with planned trials in Astana and two additional cities. Regulatory frameworks have also been introduced to permit autonomous vehicle testing on designated public roads, creating a relatively supportive environment for companies looking to operate there.

Astana presents a particularly demanding set of environmental conditions that could make it a valuable proving ground for autonomous driving systems. The city of approximately 1.7 million people experiences prolonged winters characterized by heavy snowfall and icy road surfaces - conditions that remain among the most difficult challenges for self-driving technology to handle reliably.

"Launching here will provide an important opportunity to evaluate autonomous driving technology in challenging winter conditions. Success in Astana could offer valuable insights for expanding autonomous mobility to other locations facing similar challenges."

Pony.ai's Global Expansion Ambitions

The Kazakhstan agreement also adds momentum to Pony.ai's ongoing effort to grow its footprint beyond China. The company has set a target of deploying more than 3,500 robotaxis across more than 20 cities worldwide by the end of 2026. As of the end of June, its active fleet stood at 1,975 vehicles, meaning the company would need to nearly double its fleet size within the year to meet that goal.

Pony.ai has also been expanding its partnerships with major ride-hailing platforms globally. Earlier this month, Uber announced plans to test Pony.ai's robotaxis in London, a city where Uber has also launched supervised autonomous rides in collaboration with British autonomous driving startup Wayve. Uber's robotaxi partnerships now span multiple regions, including markets across the Middle East, as the company accelerates its investment in autonomous mobility.

inDrive's Broader Autonomous Vehicle Push

Kazakhstan is not the only market where inDrive is actively exploring autonomous ride-hailing. In December, the company signed a separate agreement with Saudi Arabia's AI Driver to investigate deploying autonomous vehicles powered by Chinese self-driving firm WeRide, beginning with the capital Riyadh. The parties had originally targeted a pilot launch in the first half of 2026, though it remains unclear whether on-road testing has commenced.

Misnik indicated that additional markets are also under consideration. "We are also looking at a number of other markets for future deployments," he said. "One of the main requisites for successful launch in our view is a favorable and collaborative regulatory environment to facilitate safe and sustainable testing on the roads."

The company's focus on regulatory readiness as a prerequisite for deployment reflects a measured approach to expansion - one that prioritizes markets where local governments are actively working to create legal frameworks for autonomous vehicles rather than attempting to navigate uncertain or restrictive regulatory environments.

inDrive's Growing Platform Footprint

inDrive currently operates in more than 1,200 cities across 47 countries, making it one of the more geographically widespread ride-hailing platforms in the world. Beyond its core ride-hailing business, the company has in recent years diversified into adjacent services including package and food delivery, intercity transportation, and financial services products - broadening its revenue base and deepening its presence in the markets it serves.

The robotaxi initiative represents the next phase of that evolution, as inDrive seeks to position itself at the intersection of affordable mobility and emerging autonomous technology in regions that larger competitors are only beginning to target seriously.