Two leading companies dealing with the improvement of autonomous vehicles, Pony.ai and WeRide, are considering conducting secondary listings on the Hong Kong stock exchange. This decision fits into the global trend of technology companies seeking additional sources of backing and expanding their visibility on global markets. Both companies have been pioneers in autonomous driving for years and their plans to go public in Hong Kong can attract the attention of investors from Asia and beyond.
Pony.ai: Ambitious leader of autonomous mobility
Pony.ai, founded in 2016 in Guangzhou, China, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, has been focusing from the beginning on developing autonomous driving technology. The company was founded by James Peng and Tiancheng Lou, erstwhile Google and Baidu employees. Pony.ai specializes in creating level 4 autonomous driving systems that are close to full autonomy, but inactive require human supervision under certain conditions.
The company can boast many achievements, including the launch of the world's first autonomous taxis in Guangzhou and Beijing. In 2023, Pony.ai established a strategical partnership with Toyota to make a fleet of autonomous vehicles. By 2025, the company successfully tested its technology in respective countries, including the US, China and Japan, beating millions of kilometres in autonomous mode.
WeRide: Future mobility innovation
WeRide, founded in 2017 in Guangzhou, is besides 1 of the key players in the autonomous vehicle market. The company was founded by Tony Han, erstwhile executive manager of Baidu, and rapidly gained designation through its advanced artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology systems. WeRide specializes in level 4 vehicles, and its fleet of autonomous taxis and buses is already available in respective Chinese cities.
In 2022, WeRide established cooperation with Nissan to accelerate the improvement of autonomous driving technology. The company besides won many innovation awards, including a discrimination at the CES Fair in Las Vegas in 2024. By 2025, WeRide tested its vehicles in more than 20 cities around the world, achieving awesome safety and efficiency results.
Hong Kong Stock Exchange debut plans
According to reports from March 2025, both Pony.ai and WeRide consider secondary listings on the Hong Kong stock exchange. This decision is due to the desire to rise additional capital for further technological improvement and to grow to fresh markets. Hong Kong, as 1 of the most crucial financial hubs in Asia, offers companies access to a wide scope of organization and individual investors.
Market analysts foretell that the debuts of both companies can attract crucial interest, especially in the context of increasing request for technologies related to autonomous driving and mobility of the future. The introduction to Hong Kong stock exchange can besides strengthen the position of both companies internationally.
Levels of autonomous driving
Autonomous Driving is classified according to six levels (0–5) as defined by the Association of Motor Engineers (SAE):
- Level 0 (No automation): The driver performs all driving tasks.
- Level 1 (Driver assistance): The strategy can aid in 1 function, e.g. pace.
- Level 2 (Partial automation): The strategy can control steering and speed, but the driver must monitor the situation at all times.
- Level 3 ( Conditional automation): The vehicle can execute most of the tasks on its own, but the driver must be ready to take control if necessary.
- Level 4 (High Automation): The vehicle is full autonomous under certain conditions, but may inactive require human intervention in hard situations.
- Level 5 (Full automation): The vehicle is full autonomous in all conditions and does not require human intervention.
Pony.ai and WeRide focus on Level 4, seeking full autonomy (Level 5) in the future.
Source:
- https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Pony.ai-and-WeRide-eye-secondary-listings-in-Hong-Kong
- Official websites Pony.ai and WeRide
- SAE global — classification of autonomous driving levels
- Press reports of 2024 and 2025 on the improvement of autonomous driving technology.
Leszek B. Glass
Email: [email protected]
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