Verne and Pony.ai Launch Driverless Robotaxis in Europe
Croatian startup Verne and Pony.ai have launched Europe's first fully driverless robotaxi rides in Zagreb, marking a major milestone for autonomous transit on the continent.
The trial in the Croatian capital of Zagreb represents a significant shift for European autonomous transit, as passengers will ride without any human safety driver behind the wheel. The driverless service utilizes the Arcfox Alpha T5, an electric SUV manufactured by Chinese automaker BAIC. These vehicles will navigate a 13.6-mile route connecting a prominent business district to the Franjo Tuđman airport. Unlike existing European trials that require a supervisor, these modified vehicles have had the front passenger seat completely removed to maximize cabin space, luggage capacity, and display room.
The driverless fleet runs on Pony.ai's seventh-generation autonomous driving system. This hardware and software suite integrates artificial intelligence with a 360-degree sensor array consisting of nine lidar units, 14 cameras, and four millimeter-wave radars. While this technology is already deployed across four Chinese cities, Pony.ai aims to scale its international footprint by deploying over 4,000 robotaxis outside of China. In Zagreb, the driverless pilot will run alongside an existing commercial service launched in April that still uses human safety drivers. This commercial fleet, bookable via Uber, has already logged more than 124,274 miles and completed several thousand trips.
For autonomous vehicle developers and urban planners, this deployment proves that fully driverless operations can navigate European regulatory frameworks. Verne secured approximately $103 million in European Union funding through Croatia's National Recovery and Resilience Plan to support the initiative, though officials are currently auditing the project to ensure it meets all funding conditions. Verne CEO Marko Pejković noted that the vehicle interior is "designed not as a concept for the distant future" but for immediate utility. This milestone demonstrates to industry practitioners that driverless commercial models are transitioning from restricted test tracks to complex, real-world European public roads.
This is our own summary of reporting by AI Business
