Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service launched in Zagreb

Verne, which is part of the Rimac Group, announced the launch of Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service, starting in Zagreb, Croatia.

Members of the public can now book and pay for Pony.ai-powered autonomous rides through the Verne app, CE Report informs via the company's official website.

The service will soon also be available through the Uber app, following a recently announced strategic partnership between the three companies.

The commercial service is the result of several years of development and close collaboration with regulators, positioning Verne among the leaders of autonomous mobility in Europe.

“For the first time in Europe there is a real commercial robotaxi service. People can use it and take real autonomous rides.” said Marko Pejković, Co-Founder and CEO of Verne.

“We said we would launch in Zagreb in 2026. Today, we did. This is just the start.”

Start of Service in Zagreb

The initial commercial deployment will use electric vehicles equipped with Pony.ai’s seventh-generation autonomous driving system.

These vehicles ​will ​operate autonomously, with trained autonomous vehicle (AV) operators onboard during the early phase of the rollout.

The initial service zone covers key districts of the Croatian capital, with plans to expand coverage across the city.

The companies aim to transition to fully driverless operations as soon as possible, subject to regulatory approvals and the service meeting the required safety and reliability standards.

Next Steps

Beyond Zagreb, Verne has begun permitting discussions with 11 cities across the EU, UK, and the Middle East, with more than 30 additional cities currently under consideration.

Verne will also eventually deploy the company’s purpose-built autonomous vehicle, a two-seat robotaxi designed specifically for driverless ride-hailing.

Photo: Verne