Robotics Pony.ai Just Said a 2027 Robotaxi Will Cost Less Than a Tesla Model 3. The Driver Cost Is Now the Whole Cost.
On April 24 at Auto China 2026, Pony.ai CEO James Peng said the all-in cost of a 2027 fully unmanned robotaxi — vehicle, autonomous-driving kit, and battery — will drop below 230,000 yuan (~$31K). That undercuts the domestically built Tesla Model 3. The labor cost of a taxi just collapsed into the capex line.