Pony.ai and Uber Technologies announced an expanded strategic partnership to deploy more than 2,000 Pony.ai robotaxis across Europe, extending a commercial relationship that began in Zagreb, Croatia, into four additional European cities and the Middle East. Specific city details will be announced in phases.
The companies launched Europe's first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb in 2026, working with Croatian mobility firm Verne, which serves as the local fleet owner and operator. That service is integrated with the Uber platform.
Pony.ai provides Level 4 autonomous driving technology—meaning the vehicle performs all driving functions under specific conditions without human intervention—along with rider-experience and operational expertise from its large-scale robotaxi deployments. Uber handles booking, payment and customer service through its global mobility platform.
The partnership uses a joint-deployment model built around three functions: L4 autonomous driving technology, a mobility platform and day-to-day fleet operations. Individual partners can take on more than one role, and vehicle funding and ownership may vary by market. Local fleet partners will handle day-to-day operations in the new markets.
Pony.ai currently runs paid, fully driverless robotaxi services in four tier-one cities in China and has reached city-wide breakeven unit economics in multiple Chinese markets—a meaningful data point for investors skeptical that autonomous ride-hailing can generate sustainable margins at scale.
"This expanded agreement marks an important new phase in our partnership," said Dr. James Peng, founder and CEO of Pony.ai. "It reflects a shared commitment to bringing safe, reliable robotaxi services to more European cities by combining Pony.ai's technology and operational expertise with Uber's global platform."
