A groundbreaking autonomous mobility service has commenced operations in Zagreb, with Pony.ai and Verne deploying vehicles that carry passengers on public roads without anyone occupying the driver's seat. Uber's app handles ride bookings for this service, which represents the first fully driverless passenger operation anywhere on the European continent.
The two companies envision deploying more than 2,000 robotaxis across European roads, yet regulatory frameworks present significant obstacles to this expansion. The sole EU-wide approval pathway for fully autonomous vehicles caps annual production at 1,500 units, while all other deployments depend on individual national authorizations that do not extend across borders.
Service details and vehicle specifications
The driverless service operates along a 22-kilometer route connecting Verne's headquarters, Zagreb's central business district, and the city's airport. Passengers access the service through the Uber application.
This partnership had previously introduced Europe's first commercial robotaxis to Zagreb's streets in April, with trained operators present in each vehicle. A subsequent phase launched in August, introducing Uber rides with safety drivers behind the wheel.
The autonomous system now in operation represents Pony.ai's seventh generation, handling all driving functions including steering, acceleration, and braking without human intervention. Verne maintains remote monitoring of the fleet. The vehicles feature redundant sensor arrays providing 360-degree coverage.
The underlying vehicle is the Arcfox Alpha T5 crossover, manufactured in China. Verne has modified the design by removing the front passenger seat to create additional cargo space and installing a large display screen in its place, according to InsideEVs.
Regulatory contrast with Britain
London offers an instructive comparison. Uber and Wayve launched Britain's first robotaxi service on 3 September, yet each vehicle carries a licensed safety driver who bears legal responsibility throughout the journey. Transport for London classified these vehicles as private hire cars rather than autonomous vehicles.
Croatia has eliminated the safety driver requirement entirely, whereas Britain has not taken this step.
Expansion challenges and regulatory constraints
Pony.ai already operates driverless services across four Chinese cities. In August, the company announced alongside Uber that more than 2,000 of its robotaxis would be deployed on European roads, spanning Zagreb and four additional cities. Marko Pejkovic, Verne's chief executive, described the service as "a major milestone on the path to scaling autonomous mobility in Europe".
European regulatory architecture was not designed to accommodate such deployment volumes. The small series route under Article 41 of the EU's type-approval regulation represents the only pathway to EU-wide approval for fully automated vehicles.
Germany's KBA established an annual ceiling of 1,500 units across the entire union under this route. The European Commission adjusted this limit in March, though the modification applied to self-parking vehicles rather than robotaxis.
All other deployments depend on national-level authorization. The Zagreb operations received clearance under Croatian regulations, and this approval does not extend beyond Croatian territory.
This regulatory fragmentation explains why autonomous vehicle expansion proceeds incrementally across individual nations. WeRide plans to enter Denmark with GreenMobility in 2027, marking its sixth European country. Despite leading the continent in autonomous taxi technology, Europe's most advanced robotaxi service remains fundamentally constrained by geography.
Source: The Next Web
