Pony.ai and Verne begin fully driverless robotaxi rides in Zagreb

Pony.ai and Verne said fully driverless passenger rides have started on public roads in Zagreb, the first such service anywhere in Europe, with no one in the driver's seat and bookings handled through the Uber app. The rides follow a 22km route linking Verne's headquarters, a central business district and Zagreb's airport, using Pony.ai's seventh-generation system for steering, braking and acceleration while Verne monitors vehicles remotely. The partnership previously ran commercial robotaxis in Zagreb from April with trained operators aboard and added Uber rides in August with a safety driver. The pair aim for more than 2,000 robotaxis on European roads, but EU-wide approval for fully automated cars is capped at 1,500 units a year, so the Zagreb service runs on Croatian permission that stops at the border.