Chinese autonomous-driving firm Pony.ai announced on Friday plans to deploy more than 2,000 robotaxis across Europe under an expanded partnership with Uber, accelerating the race to bring self-driving taxis to European streets.

The collaboration, dating back to May 2025, is set to expand from the existing commercial robotaxi service in Croatia's capital Zagreb to four unnamed cities in Europe, according to a company statement. The expansion plan also includes the Middle East, the statement said, without providing further details. No timeline was given for when the rollout would be completed.

In late March, Uber and Pony.ai launched a commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb together with Croatian automaker Verne — described by the partners as Europe's first commercial robotaxi service. The service combines Pony.ai's autonomous driving system with Verne's purpose-built robotaxi vehicle, and operates through Uber's app.

The European expansion marks a significant step for Chinese autonomous driving technology in a market where US and European players have dominated discussions. For Uber, the partnership extends its strategy of relying on external autonomous vehicle partners rather than building its own self-driving fleet, following similar deals in the United States.

Europe has emerged as a key battleground for robotaxi companies as regulators in several countries move to establish testing and deployment frameworks. The expanded Uber-Pony.ai plan would, if realized, give the pair one of the largest robotaxi commitments on the continent.

Sources