Uber has announced an expanded partnership with Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai to deploy more than 2,000 robotaxis across Europe. The move signals a major push toward large-scale commercialisation of self-driving ride-hailing services on the continent.
The collaboration builds on existing plans to launch a commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, where users will be able to book rides through Uber's app. The companies intend to grow the service to four more European cities in the coming years, though specific locations have not yet been disclosed.
The partnership model combines three essential components: Uber's global mobility platform, fleet management capabilities, and Pony.ai's autonomous driving technology. Local fleet operators will handle day-to-day operations in each market, ensuring the service adapts to local conditions.
A new phase in autonomous mobility
Dr. James Peng, founder and CEO of Pony.ai, described the expanded agreement as a significant milestone. “This expanded agreement marks an important new phase in the partnership between Pony.ai and Uber. It reflects our shared commitment to bringing safe, reliable Robotaxi services to more European cities,” he said in a press release.
“By combining Pony.ai’s proven autonomous driving technology and operational know-how with Uber’s global mobility platform and extensive market reach, we aim to build sustained commercial operations at scale across Europe and beyond,” Peng added.
Pony.ai already operates paid, fully driverless robotaxi services in major Chinese cities including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. The company will bring its Level 4 autonomous driving technology—which allows the vehicle to handle all driving tasks under specific conditions—along with operational experience from these large-scale deployments.
Uber will contribute its established platform, covering payment, booking, and customer service. Sarfraz Maredia, Uber's global head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery, emphasised the shift from pilot projects to repeatable commercial scale. “The next chapter for autonomous mobility is about moving from individual launches to repeatable commercial scale,” he said.
“Together with Pony.ai, we’re combining advanced autonomous technology with Uber’s hybrid platform, on-the-ground experience, and operational excellence, to build a model that can quickly and reliably expand across cities,” Maredia continued.
The companies also plan to explore opportunities in the Middle East, though no specific details have been shared.
European context and challenges
The announcement comes as European automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen continue to invest in autonomous driving technologies. The projected market growth is substantial, and self-driving vehicles could help address driver shortages and improve urban efficiency.
However, safety concerns and technological hurdles have slowed progress in Europe compared to regions like China and the United States. Regulatory frameworks vary widely across the EU's 27 member states, making cross-border deployment complex. The partnership between Uber and Pony.ai will need to navigate these differing national rules as it expands beyond Croatia.
For now, the focus remains on Zagreb, where the service is expected to launch first. The choice of Croatia—an EU member but not part of the Schengen area—highlights the patchwork of regulations that autonomous vehicle operators must contend with across the continent.
As the robotaxi rollout progresses, it will be interesting to see how European cities respond to the integration of autonomous vehicles into their transport networks. The success of this initiative could pave the way for broader adoption of self-driving technology in Europe, but it will require close cooperation between tech companies, local authorities, and fleet operators.
For more on Europe's evolving transport landscape, see our piece on planning a rail trip across Europe. And for a look at how China is pushing technological frontiers, read about China's orbital data centre ambitions.
