❯ Pony.ai and Uber Expand Partnership, Will Deploy Over 2000 Robotaxis in Europe

EXPANSIONPony.ai and Uber announced an expanded partnership on August 14, planning to deploy over 2000 robotaxis in Europe: extending from the existing commercial service in Zagreb to four other European cities, then entering the Middle East; the specific cities and timeline were not disclosed, with the two companies saying they will be announced in phases.

FOUNDATIONThe Zagreb service launched at the end of March this year, with the fleet owned and operated by Croatian mobility company Verne; the two companies call it Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service. The division of labor is threefold: Pony.ai provides L4 autonomous driving technology, Uber provides the ride-hailing platform, and local partners handle daily fleet operations—heavy assets stay local, allowing the two to expand asset-light.

GAPWaymo has yet to enter Europe, Tesla’s European approvals are pending, and Chinese players are seizing the regulatory gap to put cars on the street first. European city regulators—who gets approved next, and how quickly—will determine whether these 2000 vehicles are a first-mover advantage or an isolated case.

▪ SIGNALAt Europe’s robotaxi table, the first to sit down is a Chinese tech provider paired with an American platform.