Autonomous-driving company Pony.ai has begun on-road testing of its seventh-generation Level-4 robotaxis in Beijing after receiving city permits, expanding trials it already runs in Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The fleet includes the Arcfox Alpha T5 crossover produced with BAIC as well as models supplied by GAC. Pony.ai said the latest pilot is a step toward scaling its commercial service to roughly 1,000 self-driving vehicles by late 2025. The company, founded in 2016 and backed by Toyota and other investors, has accumulated millions of kilometres of driverless testing worldwide. The expansion was welcomed by investors, with Pony.ai’s shares rising about 5% in pre-market U.S. trading on Wednesday.