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The streets of Zagreb are now home to Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service available to ordinary passengers. The flat fare is €1.99 per ride — regardless of distance within the operating zone.

The service was launched on 8 April 2026 by Croatian company Verne, which counts renowned electric vehicle entrepreneur Mate Rimac among its shareholders. Autonomy is provided by Chinese firm Pony.ai’s seventh-generation self-driving system, installed in Arcfox Alpha T5 electric SUVs manufactured by Chinese carmaker BAIC. Strategic partner and future distribution channel Uber has invested in Verne and plans to make the service available through its app.

The fleet currently consists of 10 vehicles, with an operating zone covering approximately 90 square kilometres: Zagreb’s city centre, selected southern districts, and the area around the international airport. Rides are available exclusively through the Verne app, daily between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. During the current rollout phase, a company employee acting as a safety operator remains in the vehicle, ready to take control if needed — though according to Verne, intervention is rarely required.

The promotional price of €1.99 is a deliberate strategy. The company acknowledges it is designed to attract early users and gather feedback, with fares expected to rise as the service scales. Around 300 active passengers are currently using the service, while more than 4,000 people have already joined the waiting list.

Croatia has thus outpaced considerably larger European countries that have been testing autonomous vehicles for years without yet permitting their commercial use in passenger transport. Verne says it is in talks with 11 cities across the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East, and aims to transition to fully driverless operations in Zagreb before the end of 2026 — subject to regulatory approval.

Sources:

1. Pony.ai Advances Global Deployment with Launch of Europe’s First Commercial Robotaxi Service in Zagreb, Pony.ai / PR Newswire, 8 kwietnia 2026 r. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ponyai-advances-global-deployment-with-launch-of-europes-first-commercial-robotaxi-service-in-zagreb-302736871.html
2. Europe’s First Robotaxi Service Is Underway at €1.99 a Ride, Bloomberg, 6 maja 2026 r. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-06/europe-s-first-robotaxi-service-is-underway-at-1-99-a-ride
3. Zagreb Passengers Shower Praise on Verne Robotaxi Service, Total Croatia News, maj 2026 r. https://total-croatia-news.com/news/zagreb-verne-robotaxi/