Uber is making its biggest autonomous vehicle bet yet in Europe. The ridehail giant just announced a partnership with China's Pony AI and Croatia's Verne to launch what it calls Europe's first commercially available robotaxi service. The vehicles are already being tested in Zagreb, where Verne is based, and will soon roll out to Uber customers across the continent. It's a defensive play as much as an offensive one - Uber's racing to partner with the very technology that could disrupt its core business.
Uber is placing a major bet on autonomous vehicles in Europe, and it's doing it with an unlikely trio of partners. The San Francisco-based ridehail giant announced today it's teaming up with Chinese AV developer Pony AI and Croatian vehicle manufacturer Verne to launch what the companies claim will be Europe's first commercially available robotaxi service.
The timing isn't coincidental. According to The Verge's reporting, Uber has been frantically building partnerships with autonomous vehicle developers over the past year - a clear signal the company knows its traditional driver-based model faces an existential threat. By embedding itself as the platform layer for robotaxis, Uber hopes to survive the transition to self-driving vehicles rather than get crushed by it.
The vehicles are already on the streets in Zagreb, Croatia's capital, where Verne is headquartered. Unlike typical pilot programs that operate in limited geofenced areas, these robotaxis will be integrated directly into Uber's existing ridehail network. That means customers opening the Uber app in Zagreb will soon be able to book a self-driving ride alongside traditional driver-operated vehicles.
Pony AI brings the autonomous driving stack to the partnership. The Guangzhou-based company, which also operates in Silicon Valley, has been testing its technology in China and the U.S. for years. The company went public on the Nasdaq in 2024, giving it the capital firepower to expand internationally. Pairing with Uber gives Pony AI instant access to European customers and regulatory relationships that would take years to build independently.
