Europe’s First Truly Driverless Robotaxi Runs in Croatia on Chinese Software
Croatia has cleared the way for fully driverless passenger rides on public roads in Zagreb (164news.com's guide to zagreb), marking the first time such services have been offered anywhere in Europe. Pony.ai and Verne have made this happen, with no one in the driver’s seat and Uber handling bookings.
The only EU-wide route to approving a fully automated car is limited to 1,500 units per year. Currently, everything else requires national permissions, which can vary from country to country.
While London recently launched its robotaxi service with a licensed safety driver in every car, Croatia has taken the person out entirely.
Pony.ai’s seventh-generation system steers, brakes, and accelerates independently, while Verne remotely monitors the vehicles. The Arcfox Alpha T5 crossover, the base model for these robotaxis, is Chinese-made, with its front passenger seat removed to accommodate luggage.
Pony.ai aims to bring more than 2,000 robotaxis to European roads, starting in Zagreb and four other cities. Verne’s CEO Marko Pejkovic calls this a "major milestone on the path to scaling autonomous mobility in Europe."