Pony.ai and Uber to Launch 2,000 Robotaxis Across Five European Cities

Pony.ai and Uber are significantly expanding their collaboration on autonomous taxis, with plans to deploy more than 2,000 robotaxis across five European cities. Pony.ai provides the Level-4 technology and operational experience from China, while Uber handles booking, payment, and customer service through its platform. The expansion builds on the robotaxi service that has been running in Zagreb since April, involving Pony.ai, Croatian robotaxi startup Verne, and Uber. Verne owns and operates the fleet in Zagreb and offers rides through its own app; the new initiative will make the service bookable via the Uber app and extend it to four additional cities, though the specific cities and timeline have not been disclosed. Pony.ai says local partners may be responsible for daily operations in each market, similar to Verne in Zagreb, and the ownership and financing of vehicles could vary by market. In addition to Europe, Pony.ai and Uber plan to expand their robotaxi partnership to the Middle East, but have not yet announced specific markets or timelines. The broader European robotaxi race is accelerating: Waymo is testing autonomous vehicles in London and has registered companies in several European countries, Bolt is piloting with Pony.ai and Stellantis in Luxembourg, WeRide plans a commercial pilot with Uber in Madrid and a public service in Denmark, Momenta has received a Level-4 testing permit in Germany, and Uber is working with Autobrains and Nvidia on another robotaxi program in Munich.