Pony.ai to test its autonomous vehicles in Tucson – The Arizona Republic

A global autonomous driving technology company will open its first Arizona location in Tucson to test its vehicles.

Pony.ai, founded in Fremont, California in 2016, announced last month its partnership with Pima Community College. The company will base its operations at the college's new Automotive Technology and Innovation Center onits downtown campus.

Pony.ais decision to select Tucson for their new autonomous passenger vehicle testing operations is further validation that Southern Arizona is an emerging player in the autonomous vehicle industry, Joe Snell, president and CEO, of Sun Corridor Inc.said in a press release. Sun Corridor is an economic development agency in Tucson.

He also said Pony.ai joins a growing list of companies developing autonomous technologies that are looking to the region for expanding or basing their operations.

According to the press release, Pony.ai is the first company in Southern Arizona to launch passenger AVtesting.

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A spokesperson for Pony.ai told The Arizona Republic that people will see the company's cars driving around Tucson as part of its testing. Theon-road testing of autonomous vehicles in Tucson will always have trained safety drivers behind the wheel.

Pony.ai said it has driven over 9.3 million real-world autonomous milesand is proud of its safety record.

The company said Tucson was chosen for its operations because of its growing importancefor tech startups and smart city technology, and because the company already has strong partnerships with the City of Tucson and Pima Community Colleges new Automotive Technology & Innovation Center.

In the press release, Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson said that with Pony.ais vision, under-resourced populations will have access to more reliable transportation for persons with disabilities.

According to a 2017 report published by the Ruderman Family Foundation, self-driving carsofferpotential for reducing transportation obstacles for people with disabilities.

The report points to government transportation survey data from2003 that foundsix million peoplewith disabilities have difficulties getting the transportation they need.

A Pony.ai spokesperson said the companybelieves in a future where "autonomous vehicles not only make driving inherently safer, but also open up a world of safe and reliable transportation access and more mobility options for people with disabilities.

Coverage of southern Arizona onazcentral.comand inThe Arizona Republicis funded by the nonprofitReport for Americain association with The Republic.

Reach the reporter atsarah.lapidus@gannett.com.

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Pony.ai to test its autonomous vehicles in Tucson - The Arizona Republic