The automotive group Stellantis and the technology company Pony.ai want to jointly advance the development of autonomous vehicles in Europe. According to a statement from the companies dated October 17, 2025, both partners signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to develop and test robotaxi solutions based on battery-electric vehicles.
The collaboration plans to combine Pony.ai's advanced autonomous driving software with Stellantis' AV-Ready Medium-Size Van (K0) platform in the all-electric variant. This would create vehicles that meet the automation level of SAE Level 4 – i.e., highly automated driving that does not require a person to intervene continuously.
Testing operation starts in Luxembourg
The practical part of the collaboration begins in Luxembourg. There, in the coming months, initial test vehicles based on the Peugeot e-Traveller are to be deployed. From 2026 onward, the companies plan a gradual rollout in European cities. The aim, according to the companies, is to test the systems under real
conditions for safety, performance and compliance with legal requirements.
Pony.ai contributes the software and experience from previous projects in Asia and North America, while Stellantis provides the platform and vehicle architecture. The tests will be coordinated by Pony.ai's European subsidiary based in Luxembourg.
Focus on light commercial vehicles
The development focuses initially on mid-size, fully electric vans. This vehicle segment is regarded by Stellantis as especially suitable for robotaxi use, because size, flexibility, total cost of ownership and efficiency enable economical deployment. The group aims to strengthen its position as a leading provider of light commercial vehicles in Europe.
“Fully automated vehicles that do not require drivers have the potential to change the way people move in our cities. They can offer safe and affordable options,” said Ned Curic, Chief Engineering & Technology Officer of Stellantis. “To realize this vision, we have developed the AV-Ready platforms from Stellantis and are working with the
industry's best players. Pony.ai stands out for its technical know-how and a collaborative approach.”
Also, Pony.ai sees the cooperation as an important step toward European market presence. Founder and CEO Dr. James Peng stressed that Stellantis's strong brand presence and market position make the group the ideal partner to accelerate the growth of the technology company in Europe.
“We are pleased to work with Stellantis to bring our autonomous mobility technology to Europe,” said Dr. James Peng, founder and CEO of Pony.ai. “Your strong presence in Europe and your portfolio of iconic brands make you the ideal partner to accelerate our growth in this key market.”
Technology with potential for the future
The AV-Ready platform developed by Stellantis is already prepared for highly automated operation according to the company. It has been equipped with system redundancies and modern sensor technology to enable the integration of software for autonomous driving. The focus is on
safety and reliability in the so-called “Hands-off, Eyes-off” operation.
Although the partnership is initially focused on passenger transport, it concurrently lays the groundwork for broader applications that could possibly include autonomous mobility services for goods and people. Thus the collaboration would lay a foundation for a broader spectrum of automated mobility services.
What does this mean?
The cooperation is an indication that autonomous and electric commercial vehicles are becoming increasingly practically relevant. While the serial operation of such vehicles in Europe remains for the time being future-oriented, however, the combination of electric mobility, software integration and safety-relevant redundancy shows where operational mobility concepts are headed.
Should the test vehicles prove themselves in everyday use, autonomous transport or shuttle services could in the future complement corporate fleets – especially where sustainability and efficiency are equally in demand. Until then, the question remains whether the technology matures faster than the legal framework. (av, Source: Stellantis)
