inDrive Prepares for Robotaxi Testing in Kazakhstan with Pony.ai and Nvidia

Ride-hailing platform inDrive is partnering with China-based autonomous driving firm Pony.ai and Nvidia to conduct autonomous robotaxi tests in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, in the first half of 2027.

The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate Pony.ai's Gen-7 robotaxis into the inDrive platform. Under the agreement, Nvidia will provide its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system to support the autonomous technology.

The testing process is initially planned to be conducted under the supervision of a safety operator, with the long-term goal of transitioning to fully driverless operations. inDrive CTO Yuri Misnik stated that they are pursuing a capital-efficient approach in the field of autonomous ride-hailing. The selection of Astana as a test site was influenced by the need to evaluate autonomous driving performance in challenging winter conditions. This initiative also aligns with Kazakhstan's new regulatory framework for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads.