Testing is underway in Croatia’s capital with Pony.ai’s Gen-7 system on the Arcfox Alpha T5, a robotaxi from China. Uber plans to invest in Verne. All three companies aim to expand to thousands of vehicles across Europe but have not disclosed a commercial launch date.
Mate Rimac, known for creating electric hypercars over two million dollars, is now working on a taxi project.
Verne, the Croatian startup co-founded with CEO Marko Pejkovic, focuses on a two-seat electric pod without steering wheel or pedals, offering spacious legroom and intended to be cheaper than Uber or Bolt.
Although not on roads yet, Verne announced a partnership with Pony.ai and Uber to establish Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service starting in Zagreb.
In this collaboration, Pony.ai, a Chinese autonomous driving company, provides the tech and vehicle: its Gen-7 system on the Arcfox Alpha T5, developed with BAIC.
Verne will manage the fleet and regulatory aspects, while Uber will integrate the service into its platform, alongside Verne’s app. Testing with the Pony.ai vehicle is ongoing in Zagreb, with no commercial launch date set.
Uber plans to invest in Verne, enhancing future expansion as a strategic ally. The companies aim to deploy thousands of robotaxis in coming years, expanding from Zagreb to other European cities and markets.
Verne has agreements with 11 cities across Europe and the Middle East, particularly focusing on the UK and Germany after Zagreb.
Operating since 2019, Verne raised €100 million in Series A funding. They’re building a factory in Lučko, near Zagreb, projected to start operations this year.
This factory, capable of creating up to 400 jobs, will produce Verne’s own two-seat autonomous vehicles. Initially, the service will utilize Pony.ai’s Arcfox Alpha T5, as Verne’s vehicle is still in prototype testing.
The partnership aligns with Uber’s strategy of developing an autonomous vehicle network through external partnerships, following the sale of its self-driving unit, ATG, to Aurora in 2020.
Uber has similar collaborations with Momenta and WeRide elsewhere. For Pony.ai, succeeding in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the Zagreb launch marks its European debut.
Pony.ai is also partnering with Bolt for European expansion. For Verne, the Uber partnership offers platform reach, strategic investment, and credibility for regulatory approvals to transition from testing to commercial operations in Croatia and beyond.