Uber is partnering with Chinese companies Pony AI and Croatian Verne to launch what it claims will be the first commercially available robotaxi service in Europe . The autonomous vehicles are already being tested in Zagreb , Croatia, where Verne is based, and will soon be available to customers through Uber’s network.
Uber has teamed up with dozens of autonomous vehicle developers over the past year, trying to convince investors that it can survive the coming era of robotaxi.
Συνεργασία Uber, Pony AI και Verne
Its new partners are Pony AI, which operates autonomous vehicles in several Chinese cities, and Verne, which was spun out of supercar maker Rimac. Under the terms of the deal, Uber will provide the transportation network along with customers, Verne will manage the fleet, and Pony AI will develop the autonomous driving technology. The first service will be in Zagreb, with more European markets to follow.
See also: Uber invests $1.25 billion in Rivian for 50,000 robotaxi
Technological Infrastructure and Robotaxi Tests
The companies are currently validating the technology on the streets of Zagreb using Pony AI ’s Arcfox Alpha T5 Robotaxi , equipped with the Chinese company’s 7th generation technology stack . The vehicle was developed and manufactured jointly with state-owned Beijing Automotive Group Co (BAIC) . Once the companies start charging fares, they predict it will be the first commercial robotaxi service in Europe .
Uber already has experience with similar partnerships worldwide. The company is working with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta , with WeRide in Abu Dhabi for the first commercial driverless service in the Middle East, and with Avride in Dallas . This platform strategy allows Uber to avoid huge investments in hardware and focus on the network and data.
See also: Startup Waabi partners with Uber for robo-taxi
However, Uber, Pony AI and Verne will face competition. Waymo has said it plans to launch a service robotaxi in London sometime in 2026. Uber is also testing self-driving cars with Momenta in Germany. Volkswagen has announced it will launch an autonomous ridesharing service through its subsidiary Moia , also in Germany.
Future Prospects and Market Impact
As for Verne, there haven't been many updates since it was first announced as a robotaxi project alongside Rimac. Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Group, unveiled a fleet of 60 prototype autonomous vehicles late last year. But it remains an open question whether these vehicles will eventually end up in Uber.
See also: Uber, Wayve and Nissan bring robo-taxis to Tokyo
The global robo-taxi is expected to grow rapidly, driven by cost reductions and improved reliability during peak hours. Analysts see Uber 2027 timeline as ambitious but under pressure from competition. The company has also announced a partnership with Nvidia for 100,000 Level 4 vehicles to launch in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
For users, robotaxi promise lower costs, higher reliability during peak hours, and seamless integration with the Uber.
