Uber, Pony.ai, and Verne to launch Europe's first robotaxi service in Zagreb
What's the deal? Uber, Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai, and Croatian startup Verne have announced a three-way partnership to launch Europe's first commercial robotaxi service, starting in Zagreb.
On-road testing using Pony.ai's Gen-7 autonomous driving system on BAIC-manufactured Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles is already underway in the Croatian capital. A commercial launch date hasn't been set, but the companies say service is coming "soon."
Under the deal, Pony.ai supplies the technology, Verne owns and operates the fleet and handles regulatory approvals, and Uber integrates the service into its ride-hailing platform. Uber has also agreed to invest in Verne, which is 47%-owned by supercar maker Rimac GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — the amount was not disclosed. The goal is to scale to thousands of robotaxis across Europe and beyond within a few years.
Why now? Uber is accelerating a push to embed autonomous vehicles across its global network, targeting driverless rides in more than 10 markets in 2026, including Munich and the UK. For Pony.ai, which has broken even on a per-ride basis in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Zagreb would be its first commercial foothold in Europe.
Verne, which raised a €100M Series ADealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and is building a dedicated factory near Zagreb, needs the Uber partnership for platform reach and the regulatory credibility to move from testing to commercial operations.
What could go wrong? Uber and Pony.ai had planned a Middle East rollout last year that was postponed without explanation — a reminder that timelines in new markets rarely hold. Verne's own purpose-built two-seat vehicle, which has no steering wheel, remains in prototype; the Zagreb launch will use Pony.ai's Alpha T5 instead.
Competition is also closing in. Waymo plans a London launch in 2026, Uber is testing with Momenta in Germany, and VolkswagenDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s MoiaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → subsidiary is planning its own autonomous ride-sharing service there.
The signal: Robotaxi expansion is moving from a US-China duopoly toward a global race, with Europe as the next contested frontier. Uber's strategy — partnering rather than building — lets it place bets across multiple technology stacks without development risk.
The Zagreb deal also signals a new model: a Chinese tech stack (Pony.ai), a local operator with regulatory know-how (Verne), and a global distribution platform (Uber). If it scales, it could become a template for how autonomous mobility rolls out in markets where no single player has the full picture.
Sources:
Verne
Uber
Pony.ai
Reuters
South China Morning Post
engadget
Morningstar
The Next Web
Bloomberg
The Verge
Image credit:
Verne
J.V.
