Uber and Pony.ai to Deploy Over 2,000 Robotaxis Across Europe

On August 14, 2026, Pony.ai and Uber announced an expanded strategic partnership to deploy more than 2,000 Pony.ai Robotaxis across Europe, building on their existing commercial service in Zagreb, Croatia and targeting four additional European cities — though specific city names have not yet been disclosed and will be announced in phases . The deal also includes plans to deploy in the Middle East .

How the Joint Deployment Model Works

Under the partnership, the responsibilities are divided into three clear roles :

• Pony.ai provides its Level 4 autonomous driving technology, rider-experience expertise, and operational know-how.
• Uber provides customer access through its global mobility platform, including booking, payment, and customer service.
• Local fleet partners handle day-to-day fleet operations and may own the vehicles. In Zagreb, that partner is Croatian mobility company Verne .

Timeline of the Collaboration Since May 2025

The partnership has progressed rapidly over just 15 months:

• May 6, 2025 — Pony.ai and Uber first announced a strategic partnership to bring Pony.ai Robotaxis onto the Uber platform in international markets, initially targeting the Middle East . Riders would be able to select a Pony.ai vehicle when booking through the Uber app .
• Early 2026 — The companies worked with Verne to launch Europe's first commercial Robotaxi service in Zagreb, with Verne serving as the local fleet owner and operator .
• August 14, 2026 — The partnership expands to a multi-city, multi-thousand-vehicle European deployment, covering four additional cities beyond Zagreb, plus the Middle East .

No specific rollout timeline has been given for when the 2,000-vehicle fleet will be fully operational .

How This Fits Into the Broader Robotaxi Race in Europe

The competition to commercialize autonomous mobility in Europe has intensified sharply in 2025–2026, with multiple players setting up operations:

Company	European moves in 2025–2026
Pony.ai + Uber	Launch in Zagreb (early 2026), now expanding to 4+ more EU cities with 2,000+ robotaxis
WeRide + Uber	Entered Spain (Madrid) and Switzerland (Greater Zurich region) via Uber, and Denmark via partnership with GreenMobility
Baidu (Apollo Go) + Lyft	Announced a strategic partnership in August 2025 to deploy Apollo Go's RT6 robotaxis in Europe via Lyft's platform, starting in Germany in 2026
Waymo	Expanding in the US; European commercial robotaxi launch is still in earlier stages relative to Chinese competitors
BMW / Volkswagen	BMW has autonomous driving programs; Volkswagen partnered with Mobileye and has pilot projects — but Chinese AV firms have moved faster on commercial robotaxi deployment in Europe

Chinese autonomous driving companies have been particularly aggressive, forming partnerships with US ride-hailing platforms (Uber, Lyft) as a fast route into European markets. Uber alone now partners with more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies globally, including Pony.ai, WeRide, and others .

What Pony.ai CEO James Peng Said

Dr. James Peng, Founder and CEO of Pony.ai, stated in the official announcement:

"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. 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."

The statement emphasizes Pony.ai's confidence in its joint-deployment model, which the company says has already achieved city-wide breakeven unit economics in multiple Chinese cities .