Pony.ai and Uber plan to have more than 2,000 robotaxis in Europe
Pony.ai and Uber are expanding their robotaxi partnership in Europe. Over 2,000 autonomous vehicles are set to be deployed. In addition to Zagreb, the partners are targeting four more European cities.
The collaboration between Pony.ai and Uber dates back to May 2025. In spring 2026, Zagreb became the first commercial robotaxi service of the partners in Europe, launched together with the Croatian mobility company Verne. This service will soon also be available for booking through the Uber platform.
The partners now aim to significantly expand the business model. More than 2,000 robotaxis are planned for use in Europe in the future, in addition to Zagreb in four other cities. The companies have not yet disclosed which cities these are or by when the target fleet size is expected to be reached. It is clear, however, that joint operations are also planned in the Middle East. Pony.ai brings its SAE Level 4 autonomous driving system and experience from existing robotaxi fleets to the project. Uber handles tasks such as booking, payment, and customer service through its platform. At Level 4, vehicles can drive completely independently within a defined area without human intervention.
Local partners will operate the fleets
To get started, Pony.ai and Uber rely on a so-called joint-deployment model. Financing, vehicle ownership, and daily fleet operations can be handled by local partners depending on market conditions. In Zagreb, for example, Verne acts as the fleet owner and operator. Pony.ai provides the autonomous driving technology, while Uber offers access to customers.
Pony.ai can draw on experience gained in China and Europe. The company operates paid, fully driverless robotaxi services in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, and claims to have achieved cost coverage at the city level in several markets. In Europe as well, Pony.ai is pursuing multiple projects simultaneously. Just in June, the company launched a pilot program in Luxembourg together with Stellantis and Bolt. There, vehicles capable of Level 4 autonomy based on the Peugeot e-Traveller and their integration into a ride-hailing platform are to be tested. The long-term goal is to operate without safety drivers.
With Uber, the Europe strategy now takes on a significantly larger scale. Over 2,000 robotaxis would far exceed the scope of a local pilot project. However, this remains an expansion goal at present: neither the four additional cities nor a specific timeline have been finalized. The rollout also depends not only on technology but also on the regulatory conditions in each market.