Autonomous delivery to address heightened demand during COVID-19

Self-driving startup Pony.ai will partner with Los Angeles-based e-commerce platform Yamibuy to provide an autonomous and contactless last-mile delivery service to customers in Irvine, California, according to an announcement made on Friday Beijing time.

The new delivery service will provide much-needed additional capacity to address the surge of online orders triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beginning Friday through mid-summer, Pony.ai will use its all-electric, autonomous driving fleet to deliver packages and groceries from Yamibuy to its customers’ doorsteps, helping to address the swell in demand while boosting delivery efficiency, the announcement said.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to strain our communities’ last-mile logistics services and essential businesses, Pony.ai’s fleet offers a safe and convenient option during this challenging time,” the company said.

Commercially, the partnership marks a major milestone for Pony.ai. It will be the first time that the Fremont-based tech firm deploys its Robotaxi fleet for goods delivery.

Pony.ai was the first company to launch a public-facing Robotaxi service in California, which has been operating in Irvine since November 2019.