In a landmark move that signifies Luxembourg’s strong commitment to advanced mobility solutions, Xavier Bettel, the nation’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Lex Delles, Minister of Economy, SMEs, Energy, and Tourism, have inked a key agreement with Pony.ai. The company, recognized globally for its pioneering strides in autonomous driving technology, is gearing up to bolster its presence within the European Union by setting up a significant footprint in Luxembourg. This strategic partnership is set to include the establishment of its European data center in the Grand Duchy.
The signing of this agreement took place amidst a purposeful working visit to California, underscoring the determination of Luxembourg’s government to integrate cutting-edge technological solutions that are tailor-made for European users. “We aim to make the Grand Duchy a pioneering European country in terms of autonomous driving,” stated Lex Delles, outlining the vision behind this ambitious initiative.
The collaboration with Pony.ai is poised to bring a comprehensive suite of operations to Luxembourg. Besides setting up a European center of excellence focused on Research and Development (R&D), Pony.ai plans to base its sales, maintenance, and support operations within the country. An expansion of its European data center in Luxembourg is also on the cards, with a strong emphasis on secure and efficient processing in compliance with both national and European sector-specific regulations.
Highlighting the mutual benefits of this partnership, Xavier Bettel remarked on the seamless alignment between Pony.ai’s technical prowess and Luxembourg’s national development strategies. These strategies aim at spurring research and technological development, fostering local job creation, enhancing skills development, and propelling sustainable economic growth across the nation. “There is synergy between Pony.ai’s technical expertise and the government’s national development strategies,” Bettel explained, underscoring the holistic impact anticipated from this collaboration.
Established in 2016, Pony.ai has swiftly ascended as a leader in the realm of autonomous mobility. Its innovative projects, including robotaxis and robotruck pilot projects set for mass production in China in collaboration with Toyota, demonstrate the company’s commitment to revolutionizing transportation. By extending its technological innovations and operational footprint to Luxembourg, Pony.ai is not only looking to augment its capabilities within the European continent but also aiming to customize solutions that cater specifically to European users and their unique needs.
This strategic move marks a significant milestone in Luxembourg’s efforts to lead in the domain of autonomous driving within Europe. It also exemplifies the nation’s proactive approach towards embracing technological advancements that promise to redefine mobility, enhance efficiency, and contribute to the sustainable development of its economy. Through this partnership, Luxembourg and Pony.ai are setting the stage for a future where autonomous mobility solutions play a pivotal role in the everyday lives of Europeans, aligning technology and strategic vision to navigate the path towards innovation and growth.
