Photo: Verne
Verne has launched Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service, starting in Zagreb, according to the Croatia-based firm. Autonomous robotaxi Verne is developed by a company with the same name.
Passengers can now book and pay for Pony.ai-powered autonomous rides through the Verne app, Verne said.
The initial commercial deployment is with electric vehicles featuring 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 company explained.
The service will soon also be available through the Uber app
Verne was established by Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili and Rimac Group, and two of his colleagues and friends from Rimac Group – Marko Pejković, now CEO of Verne, and Adriano Mudri, the designer of Nevera and Chief Design Officer at Verne.
“For the first time in Europe, there is a real commercial robotaxi service. People can use it and take real autonomous rides,” Marko Pejković said.
He noted that they promised to launch in Zagreb in 2026. This is just the start, he added.
The initial service zone covers key districts of the Croatian capital, with plans to expand coverage across the city.
The service will soon also be available through the Uber app, following a recently forged strategic partnership between the three companies. Verne, Pony AI (Pony.ai), and Uber Technologies, have agreed to launch the first commercial robotaxi service in Europe.
Verne has begun permitting discussions with 11 cities across the EU, UK, and Middle East
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, Verne underscored.
Beyond Zagreb, Verne has begun permitting discussions with 11 cities across the EU, UK, and 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, the company stressed.
Mate Rimac presented Verne in July 2024. In early 2025, Verne said it started the construction of the first manufacturing facility in Croatia and the wider region for autonomous vehicles.
Deadline to finish the project has been extended
Alongside these achievements, Rimac is experiencing some difficulties. Project 3 Mobility, the original company behind the autonomous urban mobility ecosystem now branded as Verne, requested and received an extension to finish its project.
The company was awarded EUR 179.4 million for research, development, and production of new mobility vehicles and accompanying infrastructure through the 2021–2026 National Recovery and Resilience Plan, part of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.
While the 2023 grant agreement originally set a completion deadline for March 31, Project 3 Mobility has requested moving it to August 31.
Given that the European Commission set August 31 as the final deadline for this funding mechanism, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport, and Infrastructure granted the Croatian firm this final extension.
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