Stellantis partners with Pony.ai to develop self-driving vehicles in Europe

Stellantis and Pony.ai announced on Friday a new partnership to jointly develop and test autonomous electric vehicles across Europe. The collaboration aims to bring SAE Level 4 self-driving capabilities—meaning hands-off and eyes-off driving—to Stellantis’ next-generation electric vans.

The project will integrate Pony.ai’s advanced autonomous driving software with Stellantis’ battery-electric medium-sized van platform, beginning with the Peugeot e-Traveller model. Initial testing will take place in Luxembourg before expanding to multiple European cities starting in 2026.

Founded in 2016, Pony.ai operates fully driverless robotaxi services in several major Chinese cities and will manage the European initiative through its Luxembourg-based division.

The partnership will initially focus on light commercial vehicles (LCVs)—a segment where Stellantis’ Pro One division already holds a dominant market position in Europe. Both companies said the collaboration will prioritize safety, performance, and regulatory compliance, ensuring the technology meets Europe’s evolving standards for autonomous mobility.

The move underscores Stellantis’ ambition to lead the electrification and automation of commercial transport, blending software innovation from Asia with European engineering expertise.