Zagreb has launched Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service.

      Verne, the autonomous mobility company that emerged from the Croatian hypercar manufacturer Rimac, commenced its commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb on 8 April in collaboration with Pony.ai and Uber. Currently, the vehicles have safety operators on board. Additionally, Waymo is planning to launch its services in London in the fourth quarter of 2026.

      Verne has introduced what it claims is Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, allowing the public to book and pay for rides via the Verne app starting 8 April. This service will soon be accessible through the Uber platform, following a partnership between Verne, Pony.ai, and Uber that was announced on 26 March.

      The robotaxis in operation are Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles outfitted with Pony.ai’s seventh-generation autonomous driving technology. While they operate autonomously, trained safety operators are present during this initial rollout phase. The three companies aspire to move toward fully driverless operations as soon as they receive the required regulatory approvals and meet safety performance standards.

      As part of the partnership, Pony.ai supplies the autonomous driving technology; Verne oversees fleet management and ground operations, including handling regulatory matters; and Uber incorporates the service into its ride-hailing platform. Uber is also making a strategic investment in Verne.

      The choice of Zagreb as the launch site is notable geographically, as the city has a population of less than one million, while major efforts in autonomous mobility in Europe have typically been concentrated in larger western markets. Waymo has outlined plans for a fully driverless service in London by late 2026, and Germany has hosted multiple competing programs for several years.

      Verne’s origins in Croatia play a significant role in this development. The company has engaged in extensive discussions with local regulators and authorities in Zagreb, aided by its connection to Rimac, which is based in the city and is one of Croatia’s most recognized technology enterprises.

      Marko Pejković, Verne’s co-founder and CEO, noted that the launch fulfilled a publicly stated commitment: “We said we would launch in Zagreb in 2026. Today, we did. This is just the beginning.”

      Currently, Verne is utilizing Pony.ai’s technology instead of its own, which is still under development. The company had initially intended to employ Mobileye’s autonomous driving system before opting for Pony.ai ahead of the launch.

      Verne is also preparing to start production at its factory near Zagreb this year for its own purpose-built robotaxi, a compact two-seat vehicle designed specifically for driverless ride-hailing, lacking a steering wheel and pedals. The deployment of the Arcfox Alpha T5 is seen as a temporary arrangement until Verne’s vehicle is ready for production. Beyond Zagreb, Verne has initiated permitting discussions with 11 cities across the EU, UK, and the Middle East, while considering over 30 additional cities.

      For Pony.ai, which went public on Nasdaq in late 2024, the launch in Zagreb marks its first commercial deployment of technology outside of China, where it recently achieved breakeven in terms of unit economics in two major cities.