(Yicai) March 26 -- China's Pony AI, Croatia's Verne, and America's Uber Technologies announced a strategic partnership today to launch what they said will be Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service, starting in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, with initial deployment work already underway, including public road validation.

The partnership aims to combine Pony AI’s autonomous driving technology, Uber’s global mobility platform, and Verne’s operational ecosystem to establish a scalable commercial robotaxi model in the Balkan capital, with plans to expand to other European cities and international markets. The companies ultimately aim to deploy a fleet of thousands of robotaxis in the coming years.

Under the agreement, Pony AI will provide its autonomous driving system, Verne will act as fleet owner and service operator, and Uber will integrate the robotaxi service into its global ride-hailing network while also supporting Verne’s direct customer platform. As part of the cooperation, Uber also plans to invest in Verne to support its growth and geographic expansion, according to the announcement.

On-road testing has already begun in Zagreb, using Pony AI’s seventh-generation autonomous driving system installed in Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi vehicles. Preparations are also underway for paid services, which would make Zagreb the first European market to commercially deploy robotaxis.

Croatian robotaxi pioneer Verne will lead efforts to prepare the market and secure regulatory approvals in Europe while overseeing the deployment of Pony AI's robotaxis across both Verne’s and Uber’s platforms. The companies said the model is designed to ensure consistent performance, safety standards, and user experience while creating a framework for future expansion.

“Partnering with Uber and Verne represents an important milestone as we continue to expand autonomous mobility globally,” said James Peng, co-founder and chief executive of Pony AI.

“In China, our Gen-7 has achieved meaningful commercial scale, including unit economics breakeven in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, demonstrating the readiness of our technology and business model." Building on this experience, Pony AI aims to speed up global commercialization by combining its technology with Uber’s platform and Verne’s deployment capabilities, he added.

“Europe needs autonomous mobility that can move from testing to a real service,” said Marko Pejkovic, chief executive of Verne. The company is bringing together the technology, platform, and operational capabilities to make this a reality, starting in Zagreb before expanding to other markets, he added.

“Through a strong ecosystem of partnerships, autonomous mobility can both scale globally and more effectively,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, adding that the partnership will help bring autonomous ride-hailing to more riders and markets.

Editor: Emmi Laine