Zagreb is now home to Europe’s inaugural commercial robotaxi service.

      Verne, the autonomous mobility firm 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 are operated with safety personnel on board. Waymo has set its sights on launching in London by Q4 2026.

      Verne has officially introduced what it claims to be Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia. Starting from 8 April, individuals can book and pay for autonomous rides using the Verne app.

      Additionally, this service will soon be accessible through the Uber platform, stemming from a three-way collaboration announced on 26 March between Verne, Pony.ai, and Uber.

      The operating vehicles are Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxis, which are outfitted with Pony.ai’s seventh-generation autonomous driving technology. Although they run autonomously, trained safety operators are present during this initial rollout phase.

      The three companies intend to shift to fully driverless operations as soon as they secure regulatory approvals and meet safety performance standards.

      In this partnership, Pony.ai supplies the autonomous driving technology; Verne manages the fleet and oversees operations on the ground, including securing regulatory approvals; and Uber integrates the service into its ride-hailing platform. Furthermore, Uber is investing in Verne as a strategic partner.

      Geographically, the outcome is unexpected, given that Zagreb has a population of under a million, while major autonomous mobility initiatives in Europe have been largely focused on larger western markets. Waymo has disclosed plans for a fully driverless service in London by Q4 2026, and Germany has hosted several competing programs for years.

      Verne's Croatian roots contribute to this outcome. The company has engaged extensively with Zagreb’s regulators and local authorities, aided by its association with Rimac, headquartered in the city and recognized as one of Croatia’s leading technology firms.

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

      At present, Verne's service employs Pony.ai’s technology rather than its own, which remains under development. The firm initially intended to utilize Mobileye’s autonomous driving system before opting for Pony.ai prior to the launch.

      Verne operates a factory near Zagreb expected to begin producing its own custom-designed robotaxi this year, a compact two-seat vehicle lacking a steering wheel or pedals, intended specifically for driverless ride-hailing.

      The deployment of 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, with over 30 additional cities actively being considered.

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