Verne partners with Uber and Pony.ai for European robotaxi launch

On Thursday, Verne, a robotaxi startup based in Croatia, announced a strategic partnership with Uber and Pony.ai to launch a commercial robotaxi service—defined as an autonomous vehicle used for ride-hailing services—in Europe, starting in Zagreb. Under the agreement, Uber intends to invest an undisclosed amount into Verne to support the expansion. The operational model relies on a three-way division of labor. Pony.ai will provide the autonomous driving system and the Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicle, which was developed with automaker BAIC. Verne will own and manage the fleet operations, while Uber will integrate the service into its existing ride-hailing network, which serves as a platform for connecting passengers with vehicles.

Verne, which started in 2019 as Project 3 Mobility, is a spin-off from the Rimac Group ecosystem. Mate Rimac, who holds a 23% stake in Rimac Group, began working on electric robotaxis seven years ago. The parent company is also known for the Nevera, an electric hypercar that starts around $2.2 million. Verne later launched with 100 million euros in funding in July 2024 to develop its urban mobility vision. While Verne is focused on building its own urban electric vehicles and back-end infrastructure, the initial service with Uber and Pony.ai will utilize the Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicle rather than Verne’s own pending vehicle designs.

The startup reported in November that it had produced and tested 60 verification prototypes. Although Verne has not yet launched its own two-seater vehicles, it plans to scale to a fleet of thousands of robotaxis over the next few years. Users will be able to hail the service through both Uber and Verne’s own application. Marko Pejkovic, the CEO of Verne, stated, “Europe needs autonomous mobility that can move from testing to a real service.” He added that the company is bringing together the necessary technology, platform, and operational capabilities to make this a reality, starting in Zagreb before expanding to new markets.

Why it matters

The partnership combines Uber’s ride-hailing network with Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology and Verne’s fleet operations to launch a commercial robotaxi service in Europe.