Croatian autonomous vehicle startup Verne, in partnership with Uber and Chinese AI firm Pony.ai, is launching Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb.
Pony.ai provides its Gen-7 autonomous driving system, mounted on Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles. Verne operates the fleet and secures regulatory approvals. Uber contributes its global ride-hailing network and strategic investment.
Road testing has already begun in Zagreb, using machine learning-powered sensors to navigate urban environments. The companies have not announced a public launch date, but officials confirm the service is moving from testing to commercial deployment.
"Europe needs autonomous mobility that can move from testing to a real service," said Verne CEO Marko Pejkovic.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi called the initiative "an important step toward making autonomous ride-hailing available to more riders in more places."
The partnership signals a strategic pivot by Chinese autonomous tech firms into Europe as U.S. regulatory barriers tighten.