Croatian Startup Challenges Robotaxi Market with Uber

A new European alliance is poised to introduce commercial robotaxi services, marking a significant step for the continent’s autonomous mobility sector. The partnership, announced this week, brings together Uber, the Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai, and the Croatian startup Verne. Their first market will be Zagreb, Croatia, with plans for broader expansion. Pony.ai will provide its self-driving technology and the Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi, developed with BAIC, while Verne will own and operate the fleet. Uber will integrate the service into its massive ride-hailing network and has committed to a strategic investment in Verne. On-road testing in Zagreb is already in progress, though a firm commercial launch date has not been set.

While Verne may lack the immediate brand recognition of giants like Waymo or Tesla, its ambitions are no less grand. The company originated in 2019 as an internal project within the Rimac Group, the Croatian ecosystem founded by Mate Rimac that also includes hypercar maker Rimac Bugatti. It officially launched as Verne in July 2024 with 100 million euros in funding. Rimac, who retains a 23% stake in the group, began working on the robotaxi concept seven years ago. His vision is focused on a purpose-built urban service, a sharp contrast to the million-dollar electric hypercars his name is also associated with. He has long argued that autonomous vehicle technology will eventually render traditional, human-driven high-volume EVs obsolete, a belief that drives Verne’s mission.

The company’s strategy involves concentrating on the vehicle platform, user experience, and operational backbone rather than developing its own self-driving system. Verne is building a dedicated two-seater electric vehicle for its service, with production slated to begin later this year at a new factory in Lučko, Croatia. The company reported in November that it had built and tested 60 verification prototypes. For the initial launch phase, however, the service will utilize the Pony.ai and BAIC-supplied Arcfox Alpha T5. Customers will be able to request a ride through both the Uber app and a dedicated Verne application.

The initial deployment in Zagreb is just the starting point. The consortium aims to scale to a fleet of thousands of robotaxis across multiple markets in the coming years. Verne CEO Marko Pejkovic emphasized the need for Europe to transition from testing to real-world deployment, stating the company is assembling the necessary technology, platform, and operational expertise to make it happen. This partnership represents a concerted effort to bring a fully realized robotaxi service to European streets, challenging existing players with a unique, integrated approach.