BEIJING, October 30 (TMTPost)— Chinese autonomous driving technology company Pony.ai, Inc. secured is poised to foray into the Middle East through a new partnership with a key project of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious diversification program. Credit：Neom Pony.ai received an investment of US$100 million from the Neom Investment Fund (NIF), a strategic investment arm founded by Neom last Tuesday. The new funding will be used for the worldwide research and development (R&D) and operation of autonomous technology. As a critical element of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, Neom is deemed as the brainchild of Saudi’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The new urban area, covering an area of 26,500 km2, is positioned as a financial and global trade hub for businesses. The city is de