Uber Launches Autonomous Rides in Europe

Key Terms

robotaxi technical

A robotaxi is a self-driving vehicle designed to transport passengers without a human driver. It operates autonomously, using sensors and computers to navigate roads and pick up riders, similar to a taxi service but without a driver. For investors, robotaxis represent a potential shift in transportation, promising lower costs and new opportunities in mobility services.

autonomous-driving technology technical

A collection of sensors, hardware, and software that lets a vehicle perceive its surroundings, plan routes, and control steering, braking and acceleration with limited or no human input. Think of it as an autopilot for cars that uses cameras, radar, lidar, GPS and artificial intelligence to detect obstacles, lanes and traffic. It matters to investors because it can reshape costs, create new business models and change regulatory and legal risks across automakers, suppliers and tech companies.

fully driverless operations technical

A mode of transportation service in which vehicles operate without a human driver on board and without routine remote human control, relying on onboard sensors, software and computing to navigate and respond to road conditions within a defined area or set of conditions. It matters to investors because achieving reliable, certified driverless operation affects a service’s potential to scale, its operating costs, safety and liability profile, and the regulatory approvals needed—similar to replacing a staffed assembly line with an automated one.

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Riders in Zagreb become the first in Europe to book an AV through Uber, powered by Pony.ai and operated by Verne.

ZAGREB, Croatia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER), Verne and Pony AI Inc. (“Pony.ai”) (NASDAQ: PONY; HKEX: 2026) today announced the launch of autonomous rides on the Uber app in Zagreb, marking the first time riders in Europe can book an AV with Uber.

From today, riders can book an autonomous ride within key areas of Zagreb, including the city centre, with service availability and geographic coverage set to expand over time. At launch, a licensed operator will be on-board monitoring behind the wheel, as part of our phased introduction, before fully driverless operations begin in the future.

The new service brings together Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology, Verne’s service ecosystem and operational framework, and Uber’s global mobility platform. Under this model, Pony.ai provides its autonomous driving solution; Verne acts as fleet owner and service operator; and Uber integrates the service into its ride-hailing network and delivers the rider experience via its app.

The launch builds on the partnership announced in March, moving the service from development and testing to real-world deployment on Uber.

“Today marks a major milestone for autonomous mobility in Europe,” said Annie Duvnjak, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility Operations at Uber. “By bringing together Pony.ai’s proven autonomous-driving technology, Verne’s operational expertise and Uber’s global platform, we’re making it simple for riders to access autonomous rides through the Uber app. Zagreb is an important first step as we work to bring AVs to millions of riders and build the world’s largest platform for AV deployment.”

Zagreb is the first market to launch under the partnership and provides a model that the companies plan to scale to additional European cities. Further details on the next markets to launch will be announced later this year.

“Verne launched Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb in April. Since then, we have completed thousands of autonomous rides, operating every day and learning from real customers in a real European city. From today, Verne rides are also available through Uber, giving customers another way to access the service. This marks another European first — the first time autonomous rides are available through Uber in Europe,” said Marko Pejkovic, CEO of Verne, “This is an important milestone not only for Verne, but also for Croatia. A service pioneered here in Zagreb is now available through the world’s largest mobility platform. The experience we are gaining every day in Zagreb will help us bring Verne to other European cities.”

“Bringing Zagreb’s Robotaxi service onto the Uber platform is an important next step in making autonomous mobility more accessible to riders,” said Dr. James Peng, Founder and CEO of Pony.ai. “This milestone is also a strong example of the joint deployment model in action, bringing together Pony.ai’s Gen-7 Robotaxi technology, Verne’s local operating capabilities and Uber’s platform and rider reach to create a viable path for scaling autonomous mobility. We look forward to expanding the service in Zagreb and progressing toward fully driverless operations.”

Safety comes first at Uber. All autonomous vehicles must meet applicable regulatory requirements and Uber’s safety standards before operating on the platform, and the service will expand gradually as the partners work towards fully autonomous operations.

Uber expects autonomous vehicles and human drivers to coexist and grow together for the foreseeable future. Many journeys will continue to require human drivers, while AVs can expand the range of transport options available to riders.

Riders can access the service by opening the Uber app and requesting UberX or Comfort. When an AV is available, the app will provide information about the vehicle and instructions for starting and completing the trip.

About Pony AI Inc.

Pony AI Inc. is a global leader in achieving large-scale commercialisation of autonomous mobility. Leveraging its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology, a full-stack autonomous-driving technology that seamlessly integrates Pony.ai’s proprietary software, hardware and services, Pony.ai is developing a commercially viable and sustainable business model that enables the mass production and deployment of vehicles across transportation use cases. Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has expanded its presence across China, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and other regions.

About Verne

Named after Jules Verne, who imagined journeys enabled by technologies long before they existed, Verne is building the operational layer for autonomous mobility in Europe and beyond. Since 2019, Verne has worked on deploying autonomous ride-hailing in complex urban environments through operations, integration and regulatory enablement, making it part of everyday life. In April 2026, those efforts led to the launch of Europe’s first robotaxi service. At its core, Verne designs how autonomous mobility works and how it feels, keeping the human in mind.

About Uber Technologies, Inc.

Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 79 billion trips later, we’re building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260819338627/en/

Press contacts:
Pony.ai: media@pony.ai
Verne: media@verne.team
Uber: press@uber.com

Source: Uber Technologies, Inc.