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