Pony AI's Peng Jun Highlights Safety Record: Autonomous Driving Accident Rate Nearly Ten Times Lower Than Human Drivers

At the 2026 Future Automotive Pioneers Conference held in Shenzhen from May 29 to 30, Peng Jun, founder and CEO of Pony AI Inc, delivered a speech.

Peng Jun emphasized that the fundamental distinction between autonomous driving and conventional consumer vehicles lies in the assignment of primary responsibility. In autonomous driving, the primary responsible entity shifts from the driver inside the vehicle to the vehicle itself. Consequently, safety has always been the foundational priority for autonomous driving.

He noted that Pony AI Inc has achieved relatively extensive deployment in Shenzhen, covering the Nanshan and Bao'an districts. Particularly in high-traffic and complex scenarios such as Shenzhen Airport, Shenzhen Bay Port, and Shekou Port, vehicle operations have reached an average of 25 orders per vehicle per day, with round-the-clock 24/7 service.

Peng Jun highlighted that ensuring safety primarily involves two aspects: first, the vehicle itself must achieve safety in both software and hardware; second, there must be a secure and reliable operational capability for the entire fleet.

Peng Jun stated that in actual operations in Shenzhen, the accident rate for Pony AI Inc is significantly lower than that of human drivers, approaching a level nearly ten times lower.