Uber invests in robotaxi provider Verne
Uber's CEO has confirmed the company has invested in Verne. This marks the next step in the two companies' collaboration around a robotaxi service in Zagreb, which is already available via the Uber app.
Verne and Uber are already collaborating in Zagreb on commercial robotaxi operations.
Image: Verne
As EVWire reports, Verne co-founder and CEO Marko Pejković has now confirmed Uber’s investment. On LinkedIn, he responded to a query from the portal: “I can confirm – yes, Uber has invested in Verne.” The companies have not yet disclosed the size of the stake or any further financial details.
It was already known in March that Uber intended to invest in Verne. At that time, Verne, Uber, and Pony.ai announced their collaboration to establish a commercial robotaxi service in Europe. Uber had stated its intention to invest in Verne, but the involvement had not yet been publicly confirmed.
The partnership has since made significant progress. In Zagreb, Verne initially launched robotaxis based on the Arcfox Alpha T5 and Pony.ai’s Gen-7 autonomous driving system. Since August, these vehicles have also been bookable via the Uber app. In September, selected passengers experienced the first fully driverless rides on a roughly 22 km route between Zagreb Airport, Verne’s headquarters, and the city centre.
Uber and Verne deepen robotaxi partnership
The recent confirmation of the investment followed a visit by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to Verne in Zagreb. According to the companies, he personally completed a fully driverless ride there. In a subsequent Facebook post, Verne co-founder Mate Rimac referred to Uber as an investor and strategic partner, hinting at further joint expansion steps outside Croatia.
In parallel, Verne continues to work on its own vehicle, specifically designed for robotaxi use. The electric two-seater features no steering wheel or pedals and is based on Mobileye Drive. By the end of 2025, Verne had, according to its own statements, completed 60 verification prototypes.
The current operation using Pony.ai technology is thus running alongside preparations for its own vehicle. When the robotaxi service launched in spring, Verne had already announced plans to integrate its self-developed model into the fleet at a later date.
Verne launched its robotaxi service in April in Zagreb. The offering initially covered approximately 90 sq-kilometres in the greater Zagreb area, including the airport. At the same time, the company announced that it was already in negotiations with additional cities in Europe, the UK, and the Middle East regarding future deployments.
