By Europe is preparing to enter the robotaxi race as its first commercial driverless taxi service moves closer to launch. A new partnership between Verne, Uber, and Pony.ai aims to bring autonomous ride hailing to the streets of Croatia, marking a major step for the region’s mobility sector.
The service is expected to debut in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city. Development work is already underway, including real world testing on public roads. Once regulatory approvals are secured, the robotaxi service will become available through the Uber app.
This initiative places Europe into a growing global competition dominated by the United States and China. Until now, large scale robotaxi deployments have mainly focused on those regions.
Partnership and Technology Behind the Service
The project brings together three major players with different areas of expertise. Verne, a subsidiary of Rimac Technology, will manage fleet operations and regulatory approvals. Uber will integrate the service into its global ride hailing platform. Pony.ai will provide the autonomous driving system.
The first vehicle in the fleet will not be Verne’s own concept vehicle. Instead, the service will launch using the Arcfox Alpha T5, an electric crossover developed in China. The vehicle offers a driving range of up to 273 miles under WLTP standards.
Pony.ai’s seventh generation autonomous driving technology will power the robotaxis. This system enables fully driverless operation, although it remains unclear if a safety operator will be present during the initial rollout.
Key highlights of the robotaxi program include:
- Launch planned in Zagreb as the first European market
- Integration with the Uber app for booking rides
- Use of electric vehicles for zero emission transport
- Expansion plans for other European cities
Verne first revealed its own autonomous vehicle concept in 2024. The design featured a two seat layout without a steering wheel or pedals. However, this vehicle will not be part of the initial deployment and may arrive at a later stage.
The companies plan to scale the service beyond Croatia after the initial launch. Thousands of robotaxis could eventually operate across multiple European cities in the coming years.
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Uber continues to expand its role in the autonomous mobility sector. The company has formed more than 20 partnerships with automakers and technology firms worldwide. These include collaborations with Rivian, Volkswagen, Lucid, and other major players.
The launch of Europe’s first robotaxi service marks an important milestone for the region. It signals a shift toward autonomous mobility solutions and highlights increasing collaboration between global technology companies.
As testing continues and approvals move forward, Zagreb could soon become the first European city where passengers can book a fully autonomous ride directly through a widely used app.
