Artificial intelligence is propelling the mobility industry into its fastest phase of transformation yet from robotaxis and autonomous trucks to next-generation AI chips, Level 4 shuttles, and entire factories dedicated to automated electric vehicles.
This week’s announcements from Pony.ai, Tesla, TIER IV with HORIBA MIRA, and Holon demonstrate how quickly autonomy is scaling across China, Europe, and the United States.

Four major developments across vehicles, robotics, chips, and manufacturing are shaping the next era of software-defined, AI-powered mobility.

Pony.ai Launches Gen-7 Robotaxi and Prepares Mass Truck Production

(Pony.ai)
Pony.ai has unveiled its Gen-7 Robotaxi, now built with 100% automotive-grade components and featuring a 70% reduction in autonomy stack cost.

Key highlights include:

• Targeting 1,000+ robotaxis in operation by the end of 2025

• Deployment focused on major Chinese cities

• Full automotive-grade reliability and durability

• New low-cost L4 architecture enabling commercial scalability

In parallel, Pony.ai plans to begin mass production of its 4th-generation autonomous electric trucks in 2026, aiming to become a leader in both robotaxi and autonomous freight markets.

Tesla Plans a New AI Chip Every Year to Power Cars & Robots

(Tesla)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced a bold new engineering initiative: the company intends to release a new AI chip every single year.

Here’s the roadmap:

• AI4 → currently in vehicles

• AI5 → nearing mass production

• AI6 → in early design, expected to surpass NVIDIA-level capability

These chips will power both Tesla's autonomous vehicles and Optimus humanoid robots, allowing Tesla to vertically integrate compute, autonomy, and robotics into a unified AI hardware ecosystem.

Tesla’s chip strategy underscores Musk’s goal to outpace all competitors in AI-driven autonomy including NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Huawei.

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HORIBA MIRA and TIER IV Accelerate L4 Bus Deployment in UK & Europe

(HORIBA MIRA & TIER IV)
HORIBA MIRA and Japan’s TIER IV have formed a strategic partnership to deploy Level 4 autonomous buses across the UK and Europe.

The collaboration will combine:

• HORIBA MIRA’s world-class proving grounds and testing facilities

• TIER IV’s open-source Autoware autonomous driving system

• Autonomous electric bus platforms suitable for European cities

This partnership aims to localize AV systems for European environments, ensuring safety, compliance, and scalable deployment.

The initiative marks one of Europe’s strongest moves toward commercial, city-ready autonomous transit.

Holon to Build Florida’s First Autonomous EV Factory in Jacksonville

(Holon)
In a major win for American autonomous manufacturing, Holon announced plans to build Florida’s first autonomous electric vehicle factory in Jacksonville’s EastPort Exchange.

Key milestones:

• Factory opening: late 2027

• Jobs created: 800+

• Annual production: 5,000+ autonomous shuttles

• Role: Supply Jacksonville’s growing autonomous public transit fleet

Once operational, Holon will become a major producer of autonomous shuttles in North America supporting both local transit and nationwide deployments.

A Unified Vision for Intelligent Mobility

From Gen-7 robotaxis and AI chips powering vehicles and robots to L4 autonomous buses and dedicated autonomy factories, one message is clear:

AI is no longer just improving mobility it is engineering the entire future of how the world moves.

As China, Europe, and the U.S. ramp up large-scale deployments, 2026–2030 will mark the decade when intelligent machines reshape transportation at every level.

AI isn’t coming it’s here. And it’s already changing how cars are built, sold, and serviced. Are you paying attention?

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