Uber aims to launch Europe’s first robotaxi service with Pony AI and Verne

The Verge / 3/26/2026

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Key Points

  • Uber says it will launch what it claims will be Europe’s first commercially available robotaxi service in partnership with Pony AI and Verne.
  • The robotaxis are already being tested in Zagreb, Croatia, where Verne is based, with plans to expand availability to Uber’s ridehailing network.
  • The move reflects Uber’s broader strategy to mitigate the financial risks that autonomous taxis could cannibalize the traditional ridehail market.
  • Uber has been partnering with many autonomous-vehicle developers over the past year as part of an effort to reassure investors about its long-term prospects.
Ubner robotaxi

Uber is joining forces with two companies, China's Pony AI and Croatia's Verne, to launch what it claims will be Europe's first commercially available robotaxi service. The vehicles are already being tested in Zagreb, Croatia, where Verne is headquartered, and will soon be available to customers on Uber's ridehail network.

The announcement is the latest move by Uber to shield itself from the financial blowback of robotaxis potentially overtaking the traditional ridehail business. The company has allied itself with dozens of autonomous vehicle developers over the past year in an attempt to persuade investors that it can survive the impendin …

Read the full story at The Verge.