Robotaxi in Shenzhen
Imagine stepping into a taxi, buckling your seatbelt, and watching the steering wheel turn by itself as the car pulls into traffic. No driver. No small talk. Just you, a touchscreen, and a vehicle that navigates Shenzhen’s busy streets using cameras, lidar, and artificial intelligence. Welcome to the age of the robotaxi, and Shenzhen is leading the charge.
What was once the stuff of science fiction is now an everyday reality across large parts of the city. Over the past year, Shenzhen has become the epicentre of China’s autonomous driving revolution, with multiple companies running fully driverless taxi services that anyone, including visitors from Hong Kong, can ride. Crossing the border for a robotaxi experience has even become a popular day trip activity, with social media users calling it one of the most futuristic things you can do within an hour of Central.
Who Is Running Driverless Taxis in Shenzhen?
Two major players dominate the Shenzhen robotaxi scene, and understanding the difference between them will help you pick the right ride.
Pony.ai (小马智行) is the current frontrunner in Shenzhen. In October 2025, it became the first company to secure a citywide permit for fully driverless commercial robotaxi operations, meaning its vehicles can legally operate across the entire city without a safety driver behind the wheel. Pony.ai’s seventh-generation robotaxis, built on the GAC Aion platform, are equipped with high-precision cameras, millimetre-wave radar, and laser radar (lidar) mounted on the roof. The fleet has logged over 35 million kilometres of public road testing.
As of early 2026, Pony.ai has deployed over 1,000 L4 autonomous vehicles in Shenzhen, with more than 10,000 pickup and dropoff points. Its primary coverage areas include Nanshan (particularly the Qianhai and Houhai areas), Bao’an, and Shenzhen Bay, with expansion across the full city underway. In February 2026 alone, each Gen-7 robotaxi averaged 23 orders per day and generated about 338 yuan in daily net revenue, suggesting strong passenger demand.
You can book a Pony.ai robotaxi through the PonyPilot+ app (search 小马智行 in the App Store or Android store), the Pony.ai WeChat mini program, or through Gaode Maps (高德地图, the Chinese equivalent of Google Maps). Gaode integration means you might even be matched with a robotaxi when you simply search for a regular ride.
Baidu Apollo Go (萝卜快跑, Luobo Kuaipao) is the other major operator. As part of tech giant Baidu’s autonomous driving division, Apollo Go has been running robotaxis in Shenzhen since 2022 and operates across 26 cities worldwide, with over 20 million cumulative rides globally and a weekly peak of 300,000 trips. In Shenzhen specifically, Apollo Go covers Nanshan and Pingshan districts, with a service area of approximately 188 square kilometres.
Apollo Go operates daily from 07:00 to 23:00 with fixed pickup and dropoff stations. You can book through the 萝卜快跑 app, its WeChat mini program, or through Baidu Maps. The service uses a station-to-station model rather than door-to-door pickup, so you will need to walk to a designated point shown as a green dot on the app map.
What Does a Robotaxi Ride Actually Feel Like?
The experience is genuinely surreal. When your robotaxi arrives at the pickup point, you will see a white vehicle with distinctive branding and a visible lidar sensor spinning on the roof. You scan a QR code or tap a button in the app to unlock the doors.
Inside, the driver’s seat is empty. In Pony.ai vehicles, a transparent protective dome covers the steering wheel with a polite reminder not to touch it (“文明乘车 请勿触碰”). A large touchscreen in the back seat shows a real-time 3D visualisation of the road ahead, with surrounding cars, pedestrians, and lane markings rendered in a video-game-like display. You can watch the car “see” everything around it, which is oddly reassuring.
The ride itself is smooth. Multiple users on Chinese social media describe the experience as stable and comfortable, with the vehicles maintaining appropriate speeds (up to 60 km/h on regular roads) and handling lane changes, traffic lights, and turns confidently. Pony.ai vehicles come with an entertainment system where you can play music through the speakers. Some Apollo Go vehicles even feature seat massage functions.
Both services allow up to four passengers per ride, and pets are generally permitted. The cars are electric, so the cabin is quiet, and the air inside is noticeably fresh since no driver has been smoking or eating in it.
That said, there are quirks. The vehicles tend to drive more conservatively than human taxi drivers, which means they sometimes hesitate at complex intersections or take slightly longer routes. Some pickup points are on main roads without dedicated bays, which can feel awkward as you stand waiting. And the cars cannot respond to verbal instructions like “pull over here” the way a human driver would.
How Much Does It Cost?
Robotaxi pricing in Shenzhen is competitive with regular ride-hailing services, and in some cases cheaper.
Baidu Apollo Go uses a time-and-distance fare structure that varies by time of day:
- Base fare includes the first 1.5 km and 2 minutes of travel
- 00:00 to 09:00: Starting fare of 20.00 yuan
- 09:00 to 17:00: Starting fare of 16.00 yuan
- 17:00 to 19:00: Starting fare of 20.00 yuan (peak hours)
- 19:00 to 00:00: Starting fare of 18.00 yuan
A typical short trip of around 2.3 km costs roughly 16 to 17 yuan (about HK$17 to 18). Longer rides scale up from there.
Pony.ai pricing is slightly higher. Our editor reported paying 29 yuan for a trip that would have cost about 20 yuan with a regular ride-hailing service, roughly a 50% premium. However, prices vary by distance and demand, and promotional discounts are frequently available for new users.
For context, a regular Didi ride across Nanshan might cost 20 to 30 yuan depending on distance. The robotaxi premium, when there is one, is relatively modest for what is essentially a theme park ride through the streets of a major city.
A Step-by-Step Booking Guide for Visitors from Hong Kong
Here is exactly how to get yourself into a driverless taxi on your next Shenzhen day trip.
Before you cross the border:
- Download the apps. Search for “小马智行” (Pony.ai) and/or “萝卜快跑” (Apollo Go) in the App Store or Google Play. Alternatively, if you already have WeChat, search for their mini programs within the WeChat search bar.
- Ensure you have Chinese mobile payment set up. Both services require payment via WeChat Pay or Alipay. If you have a Hong Kong bank card linked to WeChat Pay HK, you can use that in Mainland China. Otherwise, set up a Mainland Alipay or WeChat Pay account. Cash is not accepted.
- Register with a phone number. You will need a phone number to create an account. Most expats find their Hong Kong number works via the +852 international code, though a Mainland SIM can sometimes be more reliable.
Once you are in Shenzhen:
- Open the app and check coverage. Zoom into the map to see available pickup points near you. If you crossed at Futian Port, you are already in Pony.ai’s core Nanshan coverage area. If you crossed at Luohu, you will need to metro over to Nanshan or head to Pingshan for Apollo Go.
- Select a pickup and dropoff point. Remember, these are fixed stations, not door-to-door. The app shows green dots for available pickup locations. Tap one nearby, then choose a dropoff point within the service area.
- Request the ride and wait. Wait times vary. During off-peak hours you might get a car in 3 to 5 minutes. During busy periods or if few vehicles are nearby, waits can stretch to 15 to 20 minutes. One user reported waiting over an hour in Pingshan, though Nanshan tends to have much better availability due to the larger fleet.
- Unlock the car when it arrives. Scan the QR code shown in the app, or tap the unlock button. Get in the back seat, buckle up, and tap “Start Trip” on the touchscreen.
Recommended routes for first-timers:
- Pony.ai in Nanshan: Start near Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre and ride to Sea World (海上世界) or Qianhai. This route passes through scenic waterfront areas and gives a good mix of urban and highway-like driving.
- Apollo Go in Pingshan: Ride from Pingshan High-Speed Rail Station to Shenzhen Technology University, an approximately 11 km route that takes about 30 minutes.
Tips for a Smooth Ride
- Go during off-peak hours (weekday mornings or early afternoons) for shorter wait times and more vehicle availability.
- Start in Nanshan if you want the highest chance of getting a ride quickly. Pony.ai’s fleet is densest here, with nearly 500 active pickup points in the Qianhai, Houhai, and Shenzhen Bay areas.
- Check the app interface can switch to English for Pony.ai. However, expect most in-car instructions to be in Chinese. Basic Mandarin or a translation app will help.
- Do not touch the steering wheel or dashboard. The protective dome is there for a reason. The car is fully autonomous and any interference could be dangerous.
- Have a backup plan. If the robotaxi takes too long to arrive or the coverage does not reach your destination, Didi and regular taxis are always available.
- Bring your own entertainment if you prefer. Pony.ai’s fixed playlist is limited, and Apollo Go’s music options vary by vehicle.
The Bigger Picture: Shenzhen’s Autonomous Driving Ecosystem
Shenzhen is not just dabbling in driverless taxis. The city has become China’s proving ground for autonomous mobility of all kinds. As of mid-2025, Shenzhen had opened over 2,100 kilometres of roads for autonomous vehicle testing, covering about 24% of the city’s total road network. More than 1,300 autonomous driving companies operate in the city, working on everything from robotaxis to driverless delivery trucks at Mawan Smart Port and autonomous street-cleaning vehicles in Bao’an.
The regulatory environment is equally advanced. Shenzhen introduced China’s first regulations for intelligent connected vehicles back in 2022 and issued the country’s first Level 3 highway testing licence in 2023. This forward-thinking approach has made the city a magnet for autonomous driving investment and talent.
For Hong Kong expats, this means Shenzhen’s robotaxi network will only grow more extensive and more accessible. Pony.ai plans to triple its global fleet to around 3,000 vehicles by the end of 2026, with a significant share deployed in Shenzhen. Apollo Go continues expanding its coverage area and has also launched in Hong Kong itself, though with safety drivers still present.
Whether you are a tech enthusiast, a curious day tripper, or simply looking for a story to tell at your next dinner party, a Shenzhen robotaxi ride delivers. It is one of those rare experiences where the future is not coming. It is already here, and it costs less than a decent coffee.
Quick Info
| Operators | Pony.ai (小马智行) and Baidu Apollo Go (萝卜快跑) |
| Coverage Areas | Nanshan, Bao’an, Qianhai, Shenzhen Bay (Pony.ai); Nanshan, Pingshan (Apollo Go) |
| Operating Hours | 07:00 to 23:00 daily (Apollo Go); generally available daytime and evening (Pony.ai) |
| Price Range | Depending on distance and operator |
| How to Book | Pony.ai app, 萝卜快跑 app, WeChat mini programs, or Gaode Maps |
| Payment | WeChat Pay, Alipay (no cash) |
