Pony.ai and Uber said October 8 that they planned to begin testing Pony.ai’s seventh-generation robotaxis in London within weeks, extending their European rollout.
The companies expanded their partnership in August, announcing plans to deploy more than 2,000 robotaxis across five European cities, starting with Zagreb, Croatia. Pony.ai describes the Zagreb operation as Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service. Passengers can book rides through Uber or local partner Verne’s app, with service covering central Zagreb and the airport.
The Zagreb rollout provides a model for expansion into other cities. Pony.ai supplies the autonomous driving technology, Uber connects passengers to the service, and Verne manages the local fleet and operations.
London offers a large urban transportation market and a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles. The UK’s Automated Vehicles Act, passed in 2024, establishes rules governing self-driving vehicles, including legal responsibility when they operate autonomously. The law is expected to be fully implemented in 2027, although a separate permitting scheme allows earlier trials.
Pony.ai calls its approach “co-building fleets,” working with overseas partners that provide customer access, fleet management, and local operating expertise. The company has pursued similar robotaxi projects in the UAE, Singapore, and South Korea, although these are at different stages of testing and commercial deployment.
