Pony.ai and Future-Link to Bring 200 Robotaxis to Seoul by 2028

Source: Yonhap News · Korea Times · Kookmin Ilbo · Future-Link Newsroom

Pony.ai and Korean autonomous-driving company Future-Link have signed a strategic partnership to bring 200 robotaxis to Seoul by 2028, one of the largest single deployments of Chinese self-driving technology proposed for the Korean market to date.

The two companies signed the agreement on August 28, 2026 at the Conrad Seoul hotel, with Future-Link chairman Nam Kyung-pil (a former Gyeonggi Province governor) and Pony.ai CEO James Peng attending the ceremony. Under the deal, Pony.ai — a Nasdaq-listed company and the first in China to receive a robotaxi operating license, in 2022 — will supply its seventh-generation robotaxi (built on a BAIC platform) and the underlying autonomous-driving stack. Future-Link will handle domestic certification, market entry, and day-to-day service operations and localization. The two sides plan to establish a joint venture once certification is complete.

Phased Rollout Plan

Phase 1 — certification and pilot testing: Future-Link will first import 10 units of Pony.ai’s seventh-generation robotaxi and pursue self-certification through South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority’s Automobile Safety Research Institute (KATRI).

Phase 2 — scale-up and commercialization: Once certified, the fleet will expand by 190 additional vehicles to reach 200 units, with the goal of fully driverless commercial service across Seoul by 2028. Service may begin with a safety driver on board before moving to unmanned operation.

Key Issues to Watch

Data and privacy: the companies say driving and user data will be stored and managed domestically in Korea, with faces and license plates de-identified. Details on data-access rights and any cross-border transfer have not yet been independently verified.

Local adaptation: Pony.ai has logged roughly 80,000–87,000 accident-free test kilometers in Seoul’s Gangnam district, but Korea’s non-standard lane markings and heavy motorcycle traffic will require further validation of high-precision maps and driving algorithms tuned to local road conditions.

Liability and regulation: clear rules on liability, insurance, and consumer compensation in the event of an accident during unmanned operation still need to be settled before full commercialization can proceed smoothly.

[Reference — this article draws on reporting from Yonhap News, Korea Times, SBS News, The Kyunghyang Shinmun, Money Today, News1, Kukinews, EBN, Kookmin Ilbo, Asia Economy Daily, Hankyoreh, and Future-Link’s official newsroom post.]

For inquiries related to Korea–China autonomous-driving industry visits, corporate delegations, and on-site interpretation, please contact us.