Uber has launched its initial autonomous vehicle rides in Europe, starting in Zagreb, where a safety driver is present.

      Uber has started providing autonomous rides in Europe for the first time, launching the service in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Starting Wednesday, riders can request a self-driving car via the Uber app, according to the company. This service is operated in partnership with the Chinese company Pony.ai and the European firm Verne.

      However, there is a condition: the vehicles are not completely driverless yet. A licensed safety operator remains in the driver's seat to oversee each ride, the companies noted. This approach is part of a gradual implementation plan aimed at achieving fully autonomous operation in the future. Currently, the service operates in key areas of Zagreb, including the city center, with the promise of expanded coverage over time.

      The launch involves a tripartite collaboration. Pony.ai provides the autonomous driving technology, specifically its Gen-7 robotaxi system. Verne owns and manages the fleet on the ground. Meanwhile, Uber integrates the rides into its app and manages the rider experience. This development builds on a partnership announced by the three parties in March, transitioning from testing to a live operational service.

      Zagreb marks the first market under this collaboration, with plans to expand to other European cities being discussed for later this year. The city had a head start, as Verne had previously introduced what it claims is Europe's first commercial robotaxi service in April, noting it has completed thousands of rides since then, running daily.

      Verne provided the aforementioned figure, but the companies did not disclose specifics about the size of the Zagreb fleet or when the safety operator might stop driving. They framed these aspects as gradual improvements linked to local regulations and Uber’s safety assessments. The notable aspect today is the availability of these rides through an app that many riders already use.

      Now available on the Uber app, these rides represent a first step according to Annie Duvnjak, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility operations. She expressed the company’s goal to "bring AVs to millions of riders and build the world’s largest platform for AV deployment."

      This aligns with Uber's strategy since it sold its own self-driving division years ago. Instead of manufacturing the vehicles, Uber aims to be the app that all robotaxi operators integrate with, earning a share of each ride. The company has secured several similar agreements, including one with Waymo in the United States, positioning itself as a neutral marketplace for autonomous rides.

      Marko Pejkovic, CEO of Verne, viewed this move as a significant milestone for both Croatia and the company, indicating that a service originating in Zagreb is now part of the world’s largest mobility platform. He believes that the daily operations there will facilitate Verne's expansion into other European cities.

      Verne, which is named after the author Jules Verne, has been focused on managing autonomous ride-hailing within urban traffic since 2019, overseeing operations, integration, and regulatory compliance. Its launch in Zagreb in April provided a functioning service that could easily align with Uber, rather than initiating from scratch.

      For Pony.ai, the launch signifies its entry into the European market with technology primarily used in China. Founded in 2016 and listed in New York and Hong Kong, Pony.ai describes its system as a vehicle-agnostic "Virtual Driver," with operations spanning China, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

      James Peng, Pony.ai’s founder and CEO, characterized this partnership as the implementation of its joint deployment model, combining the company’s robotaxi technology with Verne’s local expertise and Uber’s extensive reach. He stated the objective is to create "a viable path for scaling autonomous mobility" while progressing toward fully driverless operations.

      This tripartite framework is a typical strategy for introducing self-driving cars into new markets. A technology developer supplies the hardware and software, a local partner manages and maintains the fleet, and a ride-hailing application connects with customers. This arrangement allows each company to focus on its strengths instead of having to construct everything independently.

      Uber is not alone in its pursuit of autonomous rides in Europe. Another Chinese company, WeRide, has announced plans to introduce a robotaxi service in Denmark. The startup Bliq has received approval to operate driverless vehicles in Finland. The regulatory landscape in the region is still evolving, differing from the United States, where regulators are currently considering whether to permit vehicles without steering wheels.

      Europe has generally adopted a more cautious approach, keeping a human presence for an extended period, which aligns with the safety-operator model evident in Zagreb. Uber emphasized that all autonomous vehicles must comply with local regulatory standards and its own safety protocols before being available on the app, with the service expected to expand gradually.

      Moreover, the company emphasized that AVs are intended to complement rather than replace human drivers, anticipating a coexistence between self-driving cars and human-operated vehicles for the foreseeable future, as many trips will still require a driver.

      For riders, the process is straightforward. Users opening the Uber app in Zagreb can request an UberX or Comfort ride as they typically would