inDrive, the ride app known for haggling over fares, plans to test Pony.ai robotaxis in Astana in 2027, a sign driverless rides are spreading beyond the US and China.
The ride-hailing app inDrive wants to put self-driving taxis on its platform in Kazakhstan. It plans to start testing in the capital, Astana, in the first half of 2027. The cars would come from Chinese company Pony.ai, and the AI technology would come from Nvidia.
The three companies signed a memorandum of understanding. That is a signed statement that they will explore a deal, not a final contract. Tests will begin with a safety operator on board. Fully driverless rides are the eventual goal, according to inDrive's chief technology officer, Yuri Misnik.
Nvidia says Hyperion gives companies a ready-made base of sensors and computing technology, so they do not have to build everything themselves. That could cut costs. Ali Kani, an Nvidia vice president, said those savings matter in emerging markets, where ride-hailing is already fairly cheap and robotaxis must compete on price.
Astana has about 1.7 million people and months of snow and ice each winter. That is hard on self-driving systems. inDrive founder Arsen Tomsky said the city offers a chance to test the technology in challenging winter conditions. Kazakhstan has also said it plans to launch autonomous taxi services in 2027, with early trials in Astana and two other cities, and it has set rules for testing on certain public roads.
Other ride apps are moving too. Uber recently announced plans to test Pony.ai robotaxis in London. Pony.ai aims to run more than 3,500 robotaxis in over 20 cities by the end of 2026, up from 1,975 vehicles at the end of June. inDrive operates in more than 1,200 cities across 47 countries. It also signed a deal in December to explore robotaxis in Saudi Arabia, starting with Riyadh. It is unclear whether testing there has begun.
No prices, fleet sizes or start date for driverless rides were given. It is also not clear whether the memorandum will become a full agreement. Misnik said a friendly, cooperative regulatory environment is a key requirement for any launch.
Driverless rides are coming to more countries, but inDrive's Kazakhstan plan is still an early test with a safety operator and no set prices.
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