Uber has invested in Croatian robotaxi company Verne, according to Verne CEO Marko Pejković, who confirmed completion in a comment reported by EVwire on October 5, 2026. Uber had announced an intention to invest in March; the amount and terms have not been disclosed. The investment is tied to a Zagreb service that combines Verne’s fleet operations, Pony.ai’s autonomous-driving technology and Uber’s ride-hailing app.
What is Verne, and what does Uber’s investment mean?
Verne is a Croatia-based robotaxi company that operates a paid public service in Zagreb. Uber’s investment links it to a three-part operating model: Verne owns and operates the fleet and service, Pony.ai supplies the autonomous-driving system, and Uber makes rides bookable through its ride-hailing network. The initial vehicles named in the partnership announcement were Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxis equipped with Pony.ai’s Gen-7 system.
Uber’s March 26, 2026 announcement described the investment as an intention. On October 5, EVwire reported that Verne co-founder and CEO Marko Pejković had confirmed the investment was completed in a LinkedIn comment. The report did not disclose the amount or terms, and it does not establish a public valuation.
Where and when can riders use the service?
Verne launched paid public robotaxi service in Zagreb on April 8, 2026. Uber announced that riders could book autonomous rides there through its app beginning August 19. These milestones refer to different access points: the service began before Uber app booking was added.
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In April, Verne said it had begun permitting discussions with 11 cities across the EU, UK and Middle East, with more than 30 additional cities under consideration. Those are discussions and potential expansion targets, not confirmed operating locations. The partnership’s stated goal is to scale to thousands of robotaxis over the next few years; that is a plan, not the fleet size currently in service.
Are Zagreb’s robotaxis fully driverless?
Not as a general commercial service, based on the latest status described in the September 2026 update. Uber’s August announcement said a licensed operator would be on board during the phased introduction. Verne and Pony.ai later described invited passengers taking fully driverless test rides on Zagreb public roads, including a 22-kilometer route. Verne said its remote operations team monitored the vehicle but did not drive or control it. The companies presented those rides as testing toward future commercial driverless service, not as general public driverless availability.
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What operating figures has Verne reported?
Verne and Pony.ai said the Zagreb service had completed more than 200,000 autonomous kilometers by September 10, 2026. Verne also reported thousands of customer rides, a 4.7 out of 5 average passenger rating, and an operating area greater than 100 square kilometers.
These are company-reported figures, not independently audited or comparative performance results. The available reporting does not establish how the service compares with other robotaxi operations on safety, reliability or utilization.
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Sources and key dates
- Uber’s March 26 partnership announcement described its intended investment, the roles of the companies and the plan to scale.
- Verne’s April 8 launch announcement marked the start of paid public service in Zagreb.
- Uber’s August announcement covered booking through the app and the phased introduction with a licensed operator on board.
- Verne and Pony.ai’s September update reported the autonomous kilometers and described invited driverless tests.
- EVwire’s October 5 report attributed the completed-investment confirmation to Verne CEO Marko Pejković and said the amount and terms were not disclosed.
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