Vern to launch Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb

Vern, the robotaxi service founded by Croatia’s Mate Rimac, has announced that Europe’s first commercial driverless taxi service will soon launch in Zagreb.

In partnership with Pony.ai and Uber, Vern plans to deploy thousands of robotaxis across Europe and beyond in the coming years.

“The robotaxi service is moving from testing into real-world use. We will launch in Zagreb very soon, with plans to expand to other European cities. As part of the partnership, Uber will also invest in Vern, giving additional momentum to our growth. This investment from one of the world’s largest technology companies further strengthens Croatia’s position in the rapidly developing robotaxi market. Zagreb will thus become the first city in Europe with a commercial robotaxi service,” said Vern CEO Marko Pejković.

According to the company, the collaboration will combine Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology, Uber’s global mobility platform, and Vern’s service ecosystem and operational framework. Under this model, Pony.ai provides the autonomous driving solution, Vern acts as fleet owner and service operator, and Uber integrates the service into its global ride-hailing network alongside Vern’s customer-facing platform.

Together, the three companies aim to build a scalable commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, with potential expansion to other European cities and markets, ultimately growing the fleet to thousands of vehicles over the next few years.