Chinese autonomous driving startup Pony AI (PONY.US) has submitted a confidential listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and may go public within this year, Bloomberg News reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.Pony AI is believed to be the first company to file a confidential listing application since the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange launched the technology enterprises channel (TECH) earlier this month, according to the report. However, the size of the offering has yet to be determined.Related NewsCiti: CN-US Trade Risks Reduced; Bullishness on CN/ HK Equities ReiteratedPony AI chose to confidentially file for a listing mainly because it hopes to reduce the impact on its US stock when applying for its listing in Hong Kong, the report added.In March this year, there were market rumors saying that Pony AI was preparing to launch a Hong Kong listing plan, but the company later clarified to Chinese media that it had no plans for a secondary listing in Hong Kong for the time being.(Real-time Streaming US Stocks Quote; Except All OTC quotes are at least 15 minutes delayed.)