Uber and Pony.ai to deploy 2,000 robotaxis across Europe and Middle East

Aug 14, 2026

Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle developer Pony.ai have expanded their partnership to deploy over 2,000 Level 4 robotaxis across Europe and the Middle East. Building on their April 2026 commercial launch in Zagreb, Croatia, with local partner Verne, the companies plan to expand to four additional, undisclosed European cities. The expansion leverages Pony.ai's technology, Uber's global platform, and local fleet operators, backed by Pony.ai's proven city-level profitability in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Pony.ai-Uber European robotaxi expansion

▪The expanded agreement between Pony.ai and Uber commits to launching robotaxi services in four additional European cities beyond Zagreb, Croatia.
▪Pony.ai and Uber announced an expanded partnership on August 14, 2026, to deploy over 2,000 robotaxis across Europe and the Middle East.
▪Pony.ai and Uber did not disclose the specific launch dates or the names of the four additional European cities targeted for the robotaxi expansion.

Zagreb commercial robotaxi launch

▪Pony.ai and Uber launched Europe's first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, on April 8, 2026, covering approximately 90 square kilometers.
▪The Zagreb robotaxi service operates daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., allowing the public to book and pay through the Verne mobile application.
▪Pony.ai, Uber, and Verne, a mobility company within the Rimac Group, established their three-party strategic partnership in Zagreb in late March 2026.

Pony.ai profitability in China

▪Pony.ai reached city-wide unit economics breakeven in Guangzhou in November 2025 and in Shenzhen within four months of its Gen-7 vehicle launch.
▪Pony.ai ended Q4 2025 with approximately $1.51 billion in cash and investments, and a fleet surpassing 1,400 units.
▪Pony.ai reported its first-ever quarterly GAAP profit in Q4 2025, with robotaxi revenue rising 160 percent year over year and fare-charging revenue surging over 500 percent.

Robotaxi partnership operational model

▪Pony.ai reduced the autonomous driving kit's bill-of-materials costs for its Gen-7 vehicles by 70 percent compared to the previous generation.
▪Pony.ai's seventh-generation robotaxis carry 34 sensors, including four Hesai AT128 LiDAR units as the primary LiDAR, providing 360-degree obstacle detection.
▪The tripartite operational model splits responsibilities: Pony.ai provides Level 4 autonomous technology, Uber provides its global mobility platform, and local operators manage the fleets.

Global autonomous vehicle competition

▪Baidu's Apollo Go began road testing in London in late July 2026, targeting a 2027 public launch through a partnership with Freenow by Lyft.
▪Waymo leads the global robotaxi industry with a fleet of approximately 5,000 vehicles, primarily in the United States, and is testing rides in London and Tokyo.
▪WeRide and Uber announced plans in June 2026 to launch Spain's first robotaxi pilot in Madrid, in collaboration with the regional government.