Uber is partnering with Pony.ai and Croatian startup Verne to introduce what the companies describe as Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, with rides available through Uber’s platform and Verne’s own app.
The collaboration pairs Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology with Verne as fleet owner and day‑to‑day operator, while Uber will integrate the service and provide customer access; the companies say testing is already happening on Zagreb streets.
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Pony.ai will supply the driving stack and Verne will manage operations, and Uber will invest in Verne as a strategic partner, the companies said in an announcement. The firms said they "aim to build a scalable path toward commercial robotaxi services in Zagreb and, over time, potentially into additional European cities and other markets, with plans to scale to a fleet of thousands of robotaxis over the next few years," the companies said in an announcement.
According to The Verge, the vehicles under test include Pony.ai’s Arcfox Alpha T5 Robotaxi, which uses the company’s 7th generation technology stack and was jointly developed and manufactured with Beijing Automotive Group Co (BAIC). The partners said preparations for fare‑charging services are underway and Verne will lead efforts to secure European regulatory approval and coordinate deployments across both platforms.
The recap
- Uber, Pony.ai and Verne will launch robotaxi service in Zagreb
- Companies plan to scale to a fleet of thousands
- Verne will seek European regulatory approval and coordinate deployment
