Uber and Chinese company Pony.ai are preparing to launch a robotaxi service in Europe, beginning with Zagreb, Croatia. The partnership with Croatian company Verne will establish the operational framework, using Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles from Beijing-based BAIC Motor equipped with Pony.ai's Gen-7 autonomous driving system for autonomous rides.

Testing has already commenced in Zagreb, with the service set to launch "soon" through Verne's app before expanding to Uber's platform. The companies plan to extend the service to other European cities and additional markets, targeting deployment of thousands of robotaxis over the next few years with Verne handling regulatory approval.

This initiative joins Uber's global robotaxi strategy, which includes recent Tokyo and Las Vegas deployments using different partnerships. Uber's investment in Verne demonstrates the company's continued commitment to scaling autonomous transportation across multiple markets, as the race for dominance in the self-driving industry intensifies globally.