Mate Rimac, founder of Rimac Group, has turned his electric-vehicle expertise towards a new frontier: robotaxis. Partnering with Uber and Chinese firm Pony.ai, Verne is set to launch a commercial service in Zagreb, marking a step towards autonomous mobility.

Their plans include testing the Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi, though details on its performance remain scarce. Verne, which started as a project within Rimac Group, has ambitious goals and aims to expand beyond Croatia's capital.

Marko Pejkovic, CEO of Verne, sees their service as pivotal for European cities, stating that it will move from testing to real-world use. With an initial fleet of 100 vehicles, the company aspires to scale up significantly over the next few years.

Rimac’s vision is rooted in his belief that autonomous technology will eventually replace human-driven cars. For now, Verne focuses on developing urban electric vehicles and the infrastructure necessary for a successful robotaxi service.

As the world shifts towards self-driving technologies, Verne aims to carve out its niche in this burgeoning market, potentially revolutionizing how we think about transportation in cities around Europe.