Pony AI and Uber plan to expand their robotaxi partnership across Europe with a target of more than 2,000 autonomous vehicles operating in five cities, including Zagreb. The companies have not yet identified the four additional cities or provided a timetable for reaching the planned fleet size.
The expansion follows the launch of the partners’ first commercial robotaxi service in Europe in Zagreb in spring 2026, where they work with Croatian mobility company Verne. The service is also expected to become available for booking through Uber’s platform.
Partnership Moves Beyond Initial Zagreb Deployment
Pony AI and Uber began working together in May 2025, combining autonomous driving technology with Uber’s ride-hailing platform.
Pony AI supplies its SAE Level 4 autonomous driving system and experience from operating robotaxi fleets, while Uber provides the customer-facing infrastructure, including bookings, payments and customer service.
Level 4 autonomous vehicles can perform driving tasks without human intervention within a defined operating area, subject to the conditions of their approved operating domain.
The companies also plan to pursue joint robotaxi operations in the Middle East as they expand the partnership beyond Europe.
Local Partners to Operate Robotaxi Fleets
The planned European expansion will use a deployment model involving local operating partners. Depending on the market, these companies may provide financing, own the vehicles and manage daily fleet operations.
In Zagreb, Verne owns and operates the robotaxi fleet. Pony AI provides the autonomous driving technology, while Uber connects the service with customers through its platform.
The model is intended to allow the companies to expand into additional markets without directly handling every aspect of vehicle ownership and fleet management.
Pony AI Builds on Driverless Operations in China
Pony AI is drawing on its existing experience with fully driverless commercial robotaxi services in China. The company operates paid autonomous services in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
According to Pony AI, some of its city-level operations in China are already covering their costs, providing operational experience as the company expands into international markets.
The European strategy also includes a separate pilot in Luxembourg. In June, Pony AI began testing Level 4-capable vehicles with Stellantis and Bolt, using Peugeot e-Traveller-based vehicles to explore integration with a ride-hailing platform.
The Luxembourg programme is intended to support the longer-term deployment of vehicles without safety drivers.
Regulatory Approval Remains Key to Expansion
A fleet exceeding 2,000 robotaxis would represent a substantial expansion of Pony AI and Uber’s European operations beyond individual pilot programmes.
However, the target does not yet have a confirmed rollout schedule. The four additional cities have not been announced, and the deployment will depend on regulatory approval in each market.
The companies’ approach combines Pony AI’s autonomous driving technology with Uber’s ride-hailing infrastructure and local partners’ fleet operations, providing the framework for a larger-scale robotaxi rollout across Europe.
