Uber and Pony.ai plan 2,000 robotaxis across Europe, building on a Zagreb launch. CEO Khosrowshahi aims for top AV platform with a “super set of data.”
Uber and Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai unveiled plans to deploy 2,000 self-driving taxis across Europe. The announcement Friday also flagged ambitions to expand into the Middle East.
The fleet builds on a commercial robotaxi service the partners launched in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital, which they call Europe’s first fully operational system. Four more European cities are slated for service, though the companies did not name them or set timelines.
A larger fleet helps collect the data needed to meet regulatory safety standards and improve efficiency, the companies said. More vehicles also tend to drive higher adoption rates.
Alphabet-backed Waymo currently runs roughly 5,000 autonomous vehicles, mostly in the U.S. Waymo is testing in London and has registered entities in France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, signaling a push into key European markets. The company is also planning for Tokyo and engaging with international regulators, according to a statement provided to CNBC.
Chinese rivals Baidu Apollo Go and WeRide are also pushing into Europe. Uber works with WeRide on a robotaxi pilot in Madrid set for later this year, and on services in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In Japan, an Uber subsidiary recently struck a deal with taxi operator Hinomaru Kotsu to manage daily fleet operations for a Tokyo pilot scheduled before the end of 2026.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told analysts on a recent earnings call that the company aims to become the premier global platform for commercializing autonomous vehicles. Central to that strategy is building a “super set of data” that Uber plans to share with partners to speed development.
Pony.ai is due to report quarterly results in June 2026, which will offer the first public look at the financial progress of the partnership.
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