Pony.ai and Uber plan to deploy more than 2,000 robotaxis across Europe under an expanded strategic partnership that extends the companies’ existing commercial service in Zagreb to four additional European cities. The agreement also covers plans to deploy in the Middle East, with rollout details to be announced in phases. Under the terms, Pony.ai will supply its Level 4 autonomous driving system along with rider-experience and operational expertise, while Uber provides customer access through its mobility platform.
Highlights
- More than 2,000 Pony.ai robotaxis are planned across Europe under the expanded agreement
- Service expands from Zagreb to four additional European cities, with the Middle East also in scope
- Pony.ai supplies L4 autonomous driving technology; Uber supplies booking, payment, and customer service
- The collaboration dates to May 2025; Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service launched in Zagreb in 2026
How the Joint-Deployment Model Works
The expanded agreement is built around what Pony.ai describes as its joint-deployment model, which separates the three functions required to operate robotaxi services at scale: Level 4 autonomous driving technology, a mobility platform, and day-to-day fleet operations.
The structure allows technology, platform, and fleet partners to work together in the same market, and individual partners may take on more than one role. Vehicle funding and ownership can sit with different partners depending on the market.
In practice, the work divides along existing lines. Pony.ai contributes the L4 stack plus operational and rider-experience knowledge developed through multiple large-scale robotaxi deployments. Uber contributes platform access — booking, payment, and customer service — alongside its growing network of human drivers. Day-to-day fleet operations may be carried out by established local fleet partners selected for each market.
What Pony.ai Brings from China
Pony.ai operates paid, fully driverless robotaxi services in China’s four tier-one cities. The company says it has achieved city-wide breakeven unit economics in multiple markets, which it presents as validation of a commercially sustainable model for operating robotaxis at scale.
How the Partnership Reached This Point
The collaboration dates back to May 2025, when the two companies first announced plans to bring Pony.ai robotaxis onto the Uber platform in international markets. In 2026, they worked with Croatian mobility company Verne to launch Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, with Verne serving as the local fleet owner and operator. That service is coming soon to the Uber platform.
For Pony.ai, the expanded agreement marks a further evolution of a growth strategy that pairs entry into new markets with fleet deployments at regional scale.
What the Companies Say
Dr. James Peng, Founder and CEO of Pony.ai, called the agreement “an important new phase in the partnership” and said it reflects a shared commitment to bringing robotaxi services to more European cities. Combining Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology and operational experience with Uber’s platform and market reach, he said, is aimed at building sustained commercial operations at scale across Europe and beyond.
Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber, framed the next stage of autonomous mobility as “moving from individual launches to repeatable commercial scale.” Pairing autonomous technology with Uber’s hybrid platform and on-the-ground operations, he said, is intended to produce a model that can expand quickly across cities.
