Uber, Pony.ai to Deploy 2,000 Robotaxis in Europe
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- Uber and Pony.ai plan to deploy 2,000 robotaxis across four European cities as part of an expanded partnership, though neither a timeline nor the specific cities were disclosed.
- Pony.ai, headquartered in Guangzhou, China, will supply the autonomous vehicle technology while Uber provides its ride-hailing platform, with fleet management — including maintenance, cleaning, and charging — potentially handled by a local provider depending on the market.
- Uber has partnered with more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies, including Pony.ai, over the past several years, illustrating the ride-hailing giant's strategy of aggregating multiple AV players onto its platform.
- Pony.ai already operates in four Chinese cities and has secured partnerships with local transportation authorities in Qatar and other European and Middle Eastern markets.
- Uber and Pony.ai first partnered in May 2025 with a Middle East focus, then announced plans earlier this year for a commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia with local company Verne.
- The expanded partnership gives Pony.ai's 'joint-deployment model' a clearer path to commercial scale, per the companies.
Why it matters: The partnership formalizes a asset-light structure — Pony.ai supplies the AV tech, Uber layers it onto its ride-hailing app, and a third party handles fleet ops — giving Uber a foothold in the European robotaxi market without owning vehicles, and giving Pony.ai its first major European footprint beyond the existing Zagreb pilot.
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