Pony.ai, Verne start driverless robotaxi trials in Zagreb

The Zagreb trial builds on a partnership announced just over five months ago by Pony.ai, Verne and Uber to launch Europe's first commercial Robotaxi service. Under that joint deployment model, Pony.ai supplies the autonomous driving technology, Verne leads service operations, and Uber provides access to the service through its platform, so the driverless testing phase draws on roles the partners had already divided.

Pony.ai frames Zagreb as evidence that technology and operational experience from its fully driverless commercial services in China can be applied in Europe, supported by Verne's operational readiness and regulatory work. The company says it currently runs fully driverless commercial services in four major Chinese cities and has logged more than 100 million kilometers in autonomous operations worldwide, including over 40 million kilometers in fully driverless mode.

The milestone fits Pony.ai's stated "dual-engine" growth strategy of scaling its Robotaxi business in both China and international markets, with its overseas deployment pipeline now exceeding 4,000 Robotaxis, including plans with Uber for more than 2,000 vehicles across Europe, and a target of more than 3,500 Robotaxis by the end of 2026 across more than 20 cities. Whether the Zagreb routes broaden to the whole operating area as intended may depend on local regulatory approvals, and the European rollout could hinge on how smoothly the joint deployment model adapts to each market's requirements.