Uber launches its initial European autonomous vehicle rides in Zagreb, accompanied by a safety driver.

      Uber has initiated its first offering of autonomous rides in Europe, specifically in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Starting Wednesday, riders can request a self-driving vehicle via the Uber app, according to the company. This service is in collaboration with the Chinese company Pony.ai and the European operator Verne.

      However, there is a notable limitation. The vehicles are not fully driverless yet, as a licensed safety operator will be present behind the wheel to supervise each journey, according to the companies. This is part of a gradual implementation plan that aims for complete driverless operation in the future. Currently, the service operates in key areas of Zagreb, including the city center, with plans for more extensive coverage in the future.

      The launch involves a tripartite arrangement. Pony.ai provides the autonomous driving technology through its Gen-7 robotaxi system. Verne owns the fleet and manages the ground service, while Uber facilitates the rides through its app and oversees the rider experience. This initiative builds on a partnership established in March, transitioning from testing to a live service.

      Zagreb is the first city to benefit from this collaboration. The companies have announced intentions to expand to other European cities, with additional locations to be revealed later this year. The city already had a head start, as Verne launched what it claims to be Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service there in April, completing thousands of rides every day since.

      This figure comes from Verne, and details about the size of the Zagreb fleet or the timeline for the removal of the safety operator have not been disclosed. All of these aspects are framed as gradual developments, contingent on compliance with local regulations and Uber’s safety protocols. The innovative aspect highlighted today is that the same cars are now available for booking through an app that most users are already familiar with.

      Rides are now accessible through the Uber app. Annie Duvnjak, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility operations, referred to this as a significant initial step. The company aims to "bring AVs to millions of riders and build the world’s largest platform for AV deployment," she stated.

      This approach aligns with Uber’s strategy following the sale of its own self-driving division years ago. Instead of producing the vehicles, Uber aspires to serve as the app connecting various robotaxi operators while taking a percentage of each ride. The company has established numerous similar partnerships, including with Waymo in the United States, positioning itself as a neutral marketplace for autonomous rides.

      Marko Pejkovic, CEO of Verne, characterized the move as a significant milestone for both Croatia and the company. He noted that a service developed in Zagreb is now part of the world’s largest mobility platform. The daily operations there will aid Verne in expanding to other European cities.

      Verne, named after the author Jules Verne, has been focused on operating autonomous ride-hailing in urban traffic since 2019, managing operations, integrations, and regulatory matters. The April launch in Zagreb allowed the partners to integrate a functioning service into Uber, eliminating the need to start from the ground up.

      For Pony.ai, this launch marks its entry into the European market, having primarily deployed its technology in China. The company, which is publicly traded in New York and Hong Kong and was founded in 2016, describes its system as a vehicle-agnostic “Virtual Driver” and operates across China, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

      James Peng, founder and CEO of Pony.ai, referred to this collaboration as a demonstration of its joint deployment model. This model combines the firm's robotaxi technology with Verne’s local expertise and Uber’s extensive reach. He expressed that the goal is to establish “a viable path for scaling autonomous mobility” and to move toward fully driverless operations.

      This three-way collaboration is a common framework for introducing self-driving vehicles to new markets. A technology developer supplies the necessary software and hardware, a local partner operates the fleet, and a ride-hailing app connects with customers. This arrangement allows each company to leverage its existing strengths rather than attempt to build everything independently.

      Uber is not the only player in the European autonomous ride sector. The Chinese company WeRide has announced plans to launch a robotaxi service in Denmark, and the startup Bliq has received approval to operate driverless vehicles in Finland. Regulatory frameworks in Europe are still evolving, differing from those in the U.S., where authorities are assessing the feasibility of cars lacking steering wheels entirely.

      Generally, Europe has maintained a model that includes a human operator for a longer duration, which aligns with the safety operator approach currently seen in Zagreb. Uber emphasized that all autonomous vehicles must comply with local regulations and its internal safety standards before they can operate through the app, and that the service will develop incrementally.

      The company also highlighted that it views AVs as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, human drivers. It anticipates that self-driving and human-driven vehicles will coexist for the foreseeable future, with many trips still necessitating