Special Feature: Cheers for the Chinese Economy – 2025 Entrepreneur Night Gala Peng Jun, Founder and CEO of Pony AI, attended the event held in Beijing on January 29 to accept an honor. Sheng Xitai, Founder and Chairman of Hongtai Fund, and Zhou Kui, Partner at Sequoia China, witnessed the award presentation.
The tribute citation read: He is recognized as a "global leader in the autonomous driving revolution." Transitioning from a top engineer in Silicon Valley to a pioneering entrepreneur returning to China, he spearheaded the testing of Level 4 autonomous driving on Chinese streets. Guided by the philosophy of "gathering people through shared missions and achieving goals through collective effort," he has led his team to overcome significant challenges, ultimately turning vision into reality by enabling self-driving cars to navigate urban roads. With an engineer's precision, he refines every line of code, and with an entrepreneur's foresight, he charts each strategic path, securing China's autonomous driving system a influential voice in global competition. Zhou Kui remarked that Pony AI has persisted with the robotaxi model for ten years, a venture carrying substantial risk, which reflects an entrepreneur who entered the new economy early and has maintained extreme focus. Sheng Xitai expressed that in the next five years, autonomous driving will undoubtedly elevate the automotive industry to a new level. He stated that Pony AI is the most advanced company in China domestically and wished for its continued success. Upon accepting the award, Peng Jun shared his reflections, noting that Pony AI was founded a decade ago, embodying the principle of "ten years honing a single sword." He highlighted that over two years ago, the company initiated fully driverless commercial operations in China's four major first-tier cities, making the service available to users. He attributed the company's development to the concerted effort and persistence of the entire team over ten years, as well as the highly supportive environment for innovation. "Under these favorable conditions, a cohort of entrepreneurs, including Zhipu and technology-driven startups like ours, have been able to shine brilliantly," Peng added. Peng Jun pointed out that Pony AI's enduring vision is to utilize autonomous driving to genuinely make transportation safer, more convenient, and more efficient, thereby improving everyone's quality of life. "Our vision is that in the near future, Pony AI's vehicles will reach thousands of households, becoming a common sight on all roads, and making everyone's travel experience better," he stated.
The following is a transcript of the speeches: Zhou Kui: Congratulations, congratulations to CEO Peng! I'll share two observations. I first met Peng about ten years ago in Silicon Valley; it was just a brief encounter. Later, when he sought investment, we had the opportunity to invest. Furthermore, in the field of autonomous driving a decade ago, they committed to the robotaxi model—a path with considerable risk. This reflects an entrepreneur who entered the new economy early and has maintained extreme focus. That's the first point. Secondly, the company is named 'Pony AI,' and coincidentally, this year is the Year of the Horse, which seems like good fortune—a luck that Pony embodies and shares today. The company listed in Hong Kong at the end of last year, under the ticker '2026'. So, congratulations again to CEO Peng and to Pony AI. Host Li Xiang: Okay, thank you. Sheng Xitai: The transformation led by Ford Motor Company in the 1940s, through assembly line production, revolutionized the automotive industry. In the next five years, autonomous driving will undoubtedly elevate the industry to a new level. Pony AI is the most advanced company in China domestically. I offer my blessings and wish for its continued success. Host: The three guests please come to the center of the stage for this collective moment. Look forward! Now, it's time for the applause moment. Thank you to the two honored witnesses. Please return to your seats to continue viewing the ceremony. CEO Peng, please remain for the honorary photo. Thank you! Now, let's hear your current feelings. Peng Jun: Receiving this honor today brings me great satisfaction, especially having Presidents Zhou and Sheng personally present the award. I first want to thank the organizers for their recognition and all the guests for witnessing this moment. As President Zhou mentioned, Pony AI was founded ten years ago, and we have honed our skills over this decade. Over two years ago, we began fully driverless commercial operations in China's four major first-tier cities, making it accessible to users. The development of Pony AI to this stage is thanks to the collective efforts and decade-long persistence of the entire team, and crucially, it is also due to the highly supportive environment for innovation we operate within. "Under these favorable macro conditions, a group of entrepreneurs, including Zhipu and technology-driven startups like ours, have been able to shine brilliantly." Pony AI's consistent vision is to use autonomous driving to make transportation truly safer, more convenient, and more efficient, thereby improving all our lives. "So, our vision is that in the near future, Pony AI's vehicles will reach thousands of households, becoming a common sight on all roads, and making everyone's travel experience better." Okay, thank you everyone! Host Li Xiang: Okay, thank you. I have a question for CEO Peng. I think many boys, while growing up, have had various fantastical imaginations—whether born in the 70s, 80s, or 90s, we started watching many movies back then. Some probably imagined a car that could drive itself one day. You must have had many unrealistic fantasies as a child, some of which might now be reality. What aspects of what Pony AI is doing today actually exceed those bold childhood fantasies? Peng Jun: I believe that everyone, while driving or even just riding in a car—especially during traffic jams, uncomfortable driving situations, feeling tired, or after drinking—has wished for an AI driver to safely take them home. I think this is a universal fantasy. As President Zhou mentioned earlier, ten years ago we believed this was a highly worthwhile pursuit. Admittedly, the timeline for achievement was unclear then, but what brings me great satisfaction is that, step by step, we have begun deployment in many cities today. This is essentially the fulfillment of a childhood dream. Host Li Xiang: Yes, you're absolutely right. Fulfilling a dream isn't about suddenly having a magic door; it's about daily, incremental accumulation. Next, let's direct our attention to the screen beside us. We will take everyone back to the beginning of Pony AI's journey, using a series of images to tell the story. CEO Peng, please share the stories behind these photos. Thankfully, each has a year and some brief descriptions. Peng Jun: First, you can see we also started in a garage, founded initially around a dining table, truly driven by a dream as we said. Host Li Xiang: Ten years ago. Peng Jun: We didn't know what would happen. You can see our humble initial office environment. Then, step by step, we progressed—obtaining Beijing licenses, deploying the first autonomous fleet, expanding into trucks, later collaborating with GAC Group and BAIC Group to start mass production, and finally, last year, our unmanned vehicle participated in the torch relay for the National Games. These photos offer just a glimpse, but they trace the journey through time. Looking at them now evokes many emotions. Host Li Xiang: Especially ten years ago. You emphasized being a "garage startup" with a very basic environment. We can even see what looks like a kitchen not far from your office space? Peng Jun: Yes. Host Li Xiang: Yet, everyone's faces are lit up, filled with the determination and confidence of imagining a dream. Fast forwarding through all those years to just two or three months ago, when you escorted the National Games torch, the dream of those five, not-so-young-anymore individuals, was realized. Sometimes, when we look around in such moments, we realize life is short, but when transformed into daily accumulation, it becomes truly wondrous. Congratulations again to you and your team, and we hope your future work brings us even more unexpected surprises. Now, I'd like everyone to experience Pony AI further, because we have a particularly impressive arrangement today—a first-person perspective journey through a real autonomous driving scenario with Pony AI. Even CEO Peng isn't fully aware; this is his surprise. Please look here. Mr. Li, are you there? Li Lintao: Hello, host. Host Li Xiang: Hello. Li Lintao: Can you hear me? Host Li Xiang: Hello, Mr. Li. Please introduce yourself to everyone. Li Lintao: I am Li Lintao from Pony AI. I'm currently sitting inside our company's latest generation autonomous vehicle. As you can see, we are navigating the streets of Yizhuang during the evening rush hour. Host Li Xiang: There's truly no one in the front seats. Li Lintao: Everyone can see that both the driver's seat and the co-pilot seat are unoccupied. Host Li Xiang: How are you feeling right now? Li Lintao: For me, it's quite routine, as this is part of our daily life—commuting to and from work via autonomous vehicles. Host Li Xiang: We just confirmed no one is in the driver's seat. Mr. Li is actually the Deputy General Manager of Pony AI's Beijing R&D Center. He's sitting within his work environment. Intelligent driving, autonomous driving, should offer more than just the simple convenience of not driving oneself. What unexpected changes could it bring to our lives? Can you tell us? Li Lintao: You're absolutely right; it's certainly more than just not driving. A crucial benefit autonomous driving brings is enhanced safety, which is a core design philosophy Pony AI has always adhered to—'safety first.' Therefore, our vehicles incorporate multiple layers of safety redundancy and thousands of real-time monitoring systems. Host Li Xiang: Mr. Li, any additions? The signal near the Third Ring Road seems poor. Li Lintao: It enables highly efficient travel on highways or urban roads. We also hope to continue... Host Li Xiang: That's unrelated to us; it's an issue with a certain major telecom company. Li Lintao: ...With technological iterations, we aim to rapidly advance this technology towards commercial deployment, allowing more people to experience safe and efficient transportation. Host Li Xiang: I want to ask a question on behalf of many viewers. Many people, even young friends around me, are curious: in extreme weather conditions like heavy rain or strong winds, or on seemingly empty roads where a pedestrian or cyclist suddenly appears, is autonomous driving genuinely safer and more reliable than human driving in such emergencies? Li Lintao: Yes, I can assure you on this point. This is a core advantage of our Level 4 autonomous driving. Pony AI relies on our PonyWorld world model, utilizing core virtual driver technology. We have become one of the few companies globally capable of achieving regularized operation. (Signal issue) Additionally, we employ multi-sensor fusion technology, including satellite and inertial navigation, utilizing lidar, 4D imaging radar, and cameras to achieve 360-degree environmental perception. This is more sensitive than human eyes and ears, enabling faster reaction times for our 'driver,' allowing successful navigation through severe weather like rainstorms and heavy fog. Host Li Xiang: I think I understand. It's somewhat similar to what I tell my friends: don't worry, we have two eyes, but they have hundreds. Our reaction time might be 1 second or 0.5 seconds; theirs is 0.000001 seconds. So, we get it. Thank you for sharing. The New Year is approaching. Finally, please offer your blessings to all our friends. Li Lintao: First, congratulations to all the award-winning business leaders today, and best wishes for the smooth and successful conclusion of this event. On behalf of Pony AI, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, family happiness, and hope for peace and success in the coming year. Thank you for your attention and support to the autonomous driving industry. In the new year, we will work with all industry peers to promote sector development, contribute to the Chinese economy, and cheer for China's economy. Host Li Xiang: Okay, thank you, Mr. Li. We send all blessings back to you and your colleagues. Thank you. CEO Peng, after that exchange, your role is quite special because this is a first-time experience for all of us. What are your feelings? Peng Jun: Actually, for us, this is very routine. Host Li Xiang: It's your office. Peng Jun: I commute daily using our driverless cars. I also hope everyone gets the chance to visit Yizhuang, Guangzhou, or especially Shennan, Bao'an District in Shenzhen, where our vehicles are already commonplace on the streets. Everyone is welcome to experience it. Thank you!
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