Ride-hailing firm inDrive has signed an agreement with Pony.ai and Nvidia to begin testing robotaxis in Kazakhstan by 2027.
The partners announced a memorandum of understanding on Friday to deploy Pony.ai’s autonomous vehicles on inDrive’s platform. This move highlights growing interest in self-driving technology outside the United States and China.
The plan
Yuri Misnik, inDrive’s chief technology officer, told TechCrunch that trials would start in Astana during the first half of 2027. Early tests will include a safety operator behind the wheel, with fully driverless rides remaining the long-term objective.
Pony.ai will supply its Gen-7 robotaxis. inDrive will offer these services through its existing app within Kazakhstan. Nvidia will provide the underlying artificial intelligence, including its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system.
This announcement arrives as other ride-hailing giants expand their autonomous divisions. Earlier this month, Uber revealed plans to test Pony.ai’s robotaxis in London. It has also begun offering supervised autonomous rides in partnership with British startup Wayve. Uber continues to partner with multiple robotaxi firms in various markets, including the Middle East.
inDrive has built its reputation on affordable fares. It now aims to apply that same focus to autonomous ride-hailing as it enters a sector where competitors like Uber are already active.
“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.”
Nvidia states that its Hyperion platform can reduce development costs. It offers a ready-made foundation of sensors and computing technology, avoiding the need for companies to build and integrate every component themselves. The company also provides its Alpamayo model and tools to generate synthetic data for testing autonomous systems across various driving scenarios.
“Those savings are particularly relevant in emerging markets, where ride-hailing is already relatively affordable and autonomous services need to compete on cost,” Ali Kani, Nvidia’s vice president of automotive, told TechCrunch.
The announcement coincides with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s first visit to Kazakhstan on Friday.
The Kazakhstan proposal supports Pony.ai’s strategy to expand beyond China. The firm aims to operate more than 3,500 robotaxis in over 20 cities globally by the end of 2026. Its fleet stood at 1,975 vehicles at the end of June.
Last month, Kazakhstan announced plans to launch autonomous taxi services in 2027. Initial trials are planned for Astana and two other cities. The government has also introduced rules allowing autonomous vehicle testing on specific public roads.
Astana’s harsh winters could make it a useful testing ground. The city, home to around 1.7 million people, faces months of snow and ice, conditions that pose significant challenges for autonomous driving systems.
“Launching here will provide an important opportunity to evaluate autonomous driving technology in challenging winter conditions,” inDrive founder and CEO Arsen Tomsky said. “Success in Astana could offer valuable insights for expanding autonomous mobility to other locations facing similar challenges.”
Kazakhstan is not the only market in scope for inDrive. In December, the company signed a separate deal with Saudi Arabia’s AI Driver to explore deploying autonomous vehicles powered by Chinese firm WeRide, starting with Riyadh. The partners targeted a pilot in the first half of 2026, though it is unclear if testing has begun.
“We are also looking at a number of other markets for future deployments,” Misnik 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.”
inDrive operates in more than 1,200 cities across 47 countries. The company has also expanded beyond ride-hailing into delivery, intercity transportation, and financial services.
