The first commercial service of autonomous taxis in Europe will be launched in the Uber app

Europe is preparing to enter the robotaxi competition through a new collaboration between Verne, a subsidiary of Rimac Technology, Uber, and Pony.ai, aimed at launching the first commercial driverless taxi service in Zagreb. Tests on public roads are already underway, and the service will be available soon, representing a significant moment for Europe, which has lagged behind the USA and China in terms of autonomous mobility. The initial fleet will not include the futuristic autonomous bridge Verne, but will use the electric vehicle Arcfox Alpha T5, equipped with Pony.ai's fourth-generation autonomous driving system. The robotaxis will be integrated directly into the Uber app, allowing users in Croatia to request a fully autonomous ride. Verne will manage the fleet ownership and regulatory approvals, while Pony.ai will provide the autonomous driving technology. This collaboration signals a strategic expansion, with plans to extend the service to other European cities after obtaining the necessary approvals. Uber, alongside the platform integration, is investing in Verne and supporting its expansion, already having over 20 global partnerships with various companies. This initiative marks a transition from experimentation to real implementation, bringing autonomous mobility closer to everyday users.