Driver-less cab amazes Italian traveler in S China's Shenzhen

On Sept. 16, 2025, several reporters and experts from People's Daily Online hopped on a robotaxi test ride during their trip in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. The ride was provided by Pony.ai, a Chinese self-driving company founded in 2016 that now operates over 250 autonomous vehicles and has completed more than 50 million kilometers of global autonomous testing—including 10 million kilometers in fully driverless mode.

After the smooth and surprisingly steady ride without any sudden stops, Matteo Cherci from Italy couldn't help but express his amazement. "It's impressive how far technology has got to. Something that just five years ago was unthinkable, now is reality," he said.