A little-known Croatian startup is coming for the robotaxi market with help from Uber

Croatian startup Verne, founded by Rimac Group's Mate Rimac, has announced a strategic partnership with Uber and Chinese AV company Pony.ai to launch a commercial robotaxi service in Europe, starting in Zagreb, Croatia. Pony.ai will supply the autonomous driving system, Verne will own and operate the fleet, and Uber will provide its ride-hailing network and invest in Verne. Verne focuses on purpose-built two-seater electric vehicles for urban robotaxi use rather than developing its own self-driving technology.