Uber and Pony.ai plan to bring 2,000 robotaxis to Europe
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- Pony.ai and Uber announced plans to bring 2,000 robotaxis to four European cities as part of an expanded partnership, illustrating both companies' ambitions in the nascent robotaxi market.
- The companies declined to share a deployment timeline or name the four target cities, saying details would be revealed in phases.
- Under the deal, Pony.ai supplies the autonomous vehicle technology while Uber provides its ride-hailing platform; fleet management (maintenance, cleaning, charging) can be handled by a local provider, with fleet ownership varying by market.
- Pony.ai has already launched robotaxis in four Chinese cities and secured partnerships with local transportation authorities to expand into European and Middle Eastern markets, including Qatar.
- Uber has partnered with more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies over the past several years, including Pony.ai.
- The partnership first launched in May 2025 with a Middle East focus before turning to Europe, including plans for a commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia with local company Verne.
Why it matters: A 2,000-vehicle fleet across four European cities would represent one of the largest robotaxi rollouts announced to date, giving Uber a bridge into Europe while letting Pony.ai bypass slower domestic expansion. The lack of named cities or a timeline, however, means the announcement is more a signal of commercial intent than a confirmed market entry.
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