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Dr Luyi Mo is a Vice President of Pony.ai, a global leader in the large-scale commercialisation of autonomous mobility. She is responsible for overseeing Pony.ai’s Guangzhou and Shenzhen offices as well as its Robotaxi service and operation. She successfully led the team to deploy China’s first Robotaxi service in 2018 and continuously drove the efforts to make Pony.ai the first company to operate a fully driverless Robotaxi service in all tier-1 cities in China. Prior to joining Pony.ai, Dr Mo worked as a senior software engineer at NetEase, specialising in game engine development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Zhejiang University and a PhD in computer science from HKU. During her time at university, Dr Mo won the world champion with her teammates at the 35th Annual ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest World Finals in 2011, becoming the first female world champion from China since 1977.

Tell us about Pony.ai and what you do there. 

Pony.ai was founded in 2016 in Silicon Valley. We have had our headquarters in Guangzhou since 2017. On November 27, 2024, Pony.ai was listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. It was the largest initial public offering (IPO) among autonomous driving companies listed on the US stock markets that year, marking the debut of the ‘World’s First Robotaxi Stock’. On November 6, 2025, Pony.ai was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, establishing a dual primary listing structure across the US and Hong Kong markets, and setting the record for the world’s largest autonomous driving IPO in 2025. We are also the first company in China to operate a fully driverless Robotaxi service in all tier-1 cities, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. In the company, I am responsible for our Guangzhou and Shenzhen R&D centre and our business operations in the Greater Bay Area. I also oversee our Robotaxi service and operation in China, providing the capability to serve the general public with our Robotaxi and efficiently managing the large fully driverless Robotaxi fleet.

Many PhD students stay in academia after graduation. Why did you choose industry over academia? 

I am really passionate about challenging myself in diverse roles and witnessing how my expertise can swiftly transform into tangible products and applications. The dynamic environment of industry allows me to see the real-world impact of my work and receive direct feedback from users, which is incredibly rewarding. Moreover, I am driven by the opportunity to explore various possibilities beyond the confines of traditional research. I am keen on broadening my skills in areas such as innovation product design, strategic planning, and business development. This transition allows me to continuously grow and push my boundaries, not only as a technical expert but also in roles that require a strategic and holistic view of business operations. It’s this blend of immediate impact and continuous personal development that truly excites me about working in industry.

How did your time at HKU shape who you are now? 

Doing research usually forced me to think outside the box. It pushed me to look at problems from different angles and come up with creative solutions, which have been super valuable in everything I do now. Especially after I joined the autonomous driving industry, being creative and innovative is always one of the key characteristics for success.  Another thing I really got from my time at HKU was the sense of perseverance. Honestly, there were times when things got really tough—I think all research postgraduate students have had similar experiences during their study—but the school and my advisor instilled this 'never-give-up' attitude in me. I learned that the key is to keep pushing and stay dedicated, no matter how hard things might seem initially.   

How do you stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving technological landscape? 

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, especially in the AI area, staying ahead is all about adaptability and having a clear focus. I always aim to be a lifelong learner, keeping my skills and perspective fresh by diving into the latest research and engineering breakthroughs. But in industry, it’s not just about the technology itself, it’s also about its application and commercialisation in the market along with the maturity of the technology. 

A strong focus on long-term goals is very important. As the industry in this field goes through its phases and external voices get louder, keeping your eyes on the endgame ensures that you’re making the right decisions and innovations. Collaboration with a diverse team is very important too. We have talents in diverse areas such as AI technology, automotive technology, business operation, etc. When you work with folks who bring different skills and perspectives, it sparks new ideas and keeps things moving forward. Lastly, balancing foundational knowledge with emerging technologies ensures we are building reliable systems while staying at the cutting edge.

What is your best memory of your time at HKU? 

Maybe it is not the best but it must be the most unforgettable memory that I have of my time at HKU. That was when I was trying to finish my first top conference paper. The deadline was the next morning. Even though there was a Typhoon Signal No. 8 warning at that moment, I decided to brave the storm and head back to the lab to give it my best shot. Once I got to the lab, my colleague and I worked very hard overnight on the paper. We were shooting emails back and forth with my advisor, Professor Reynold Cheng, tweaking and editing as best we could. That was the first time I learned that for Gmail, the maximum number of emails in the same thread is only a hundred! The night flew by as we worked through it, and just before the deadline, we managed to hit submit. In the end, the hard work paid off because the paper got accepted, and it was an awesome moment for me. Looking back, what I really learned from that night is that if you don’t give up and keep pushing through, you can get through tough times and come out successful on the other side, just like finding a rainbow after a storm. 

What advice would you give to current research postgraduate students at HKU? 

It is essential to embrace the era of AI that we are in. Regardless of your field, learning how to leverage AI as a partner in your work is becoming crucial. While having expertise in your chosen area of study remains important, the ability to use AI to tackle problems is going to be a key skill moving forward.  We have moved beyond just traditional coding. The real challenges and opportunities now lie in how you can apply AI technology across different industries to solve real-world problems. So, I encourage you all to take advantage of AI. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to make full use of AI as an effective assistant. This will not only enhance your research but also prepare you for a future where AI is an integral part of our daily life across various professions.

I encourage you all to take advantage of AI. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to make full use of AI as an effective assistant.

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​ Dr Luyi Mo introducing the autonomous mobility technology to postgraduate students at the Graduate School Alumni Fireside Chat in May 2025. 

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​​ Dr Mo delivering a talk at the Graduate School Alumni Fireside Chat. 

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Dr Mo and her PhD supervisor Professor Reynold Cheng (left). 

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​​ The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki (front row, left), touring the autonomous vehicle start-up Pony.ai and receiving a briefing from Dr Mo (front row, right) in Nansha, Guangzhou. (Photo from www.info.gov.hk)  

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Dr Mo and her teammates from Zhejiang University winning the world champion at the 35th Annual ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest World Finals in 2011. (Photo from http://www.en.cs.zju.edu.cn/)  

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Dr Mo at the 196th Congregation at HKU in 2016.