Uber is teaming up with China’s Pony AI and Croatia’s Verne to launch Europe’s first commercially available robotaxi service in Zagreb. The partnership aims to eventually scale to thousands of autonomous vehicles across the continent.
The move comes as Uber seeks to counteract potential financial losses from the rise of fully autonomous taxis by partnering with numerous developers over the past year. Meanwhile, competitors like Waymo and Volkswagen are also preparing their own robotaxi services for launch in major European cities.
In a bid to get this service off the ground, the companies have been testing the waters in Zagreb using Pony AI’s Arcfox Alpha T5 Robotaxi. This vehicle is equipped with the latest technology stack developed by Pony AI and jointly manufactured with Beijing Automotive Group Co (BAIC).
Verne, spun out of supercar manufacturer Rimac, will manage the fleet while Pony AI develops the autonomous driving tech. However, it remains uncertain whether the prototype vehicles showcased by Mate Rimac last year will make their way into Uber’s fleet.
