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Chinese autonomous vehicle developer Pony.ai and Uber plan to deploy more than 2,000 robotaxis across four additional European cities, expanding a partnership that includes an upcoming commercial service in Zagreb, Croatia.
The partnership is one of many Uber has signed with autonomous vehicle operators as it attempts to position itself as the supplier of riders for robotaxi services.
Uber and Pony.ai did not disclose the locations of the four European cities in its press release. Several countries have begun trials of robotaxis and autonomous vehicles on public roads, but the United States and China are at more advanced stages of deployment.
Pony.ai has already launched robotaxi services in four Chinese cities and has operations in the Middle East. Through Uber, it may be able to make further inroads into Europe, alongside other Chinese operators such as Baidu's Apollo Go and WeRide.
Pony.ai will supply the autonomous vehicles and software, while Uber will provide access to riders. A local provider will handle fleet management and maintenance.
London shows Europe’s growing robotaxi competition
London has not been named as one of the four cities, but it illustrates the growing competition Pony.ai and Uber will face in Europe. The UK opened applications for automated passenger-service pilots in May 2026, potentially allowing approved operators to begin carrying passengers later this year.
Waymo has already included London among the 20 cities it plans to expand to this year as it ramps up its deployment roadmap. Baidu is working with both Uber and Lyft on planned London robotaxi deployments, while Wayve and Uber have opened an interest list for autonomous rides in the capital.
The impending approval of robotaxis on London's streets has also been a boost for autonomous vehicle companies such as UK-based Wayve. It secured $1.2 billion in funding at an $8.6 billion valuation, with several automakers backing the firm.
Uber wants to be the marketplace for autonomous vehicles
Uber has signed many of these deals with autonomous vehicle operators, which generally lack the same ability to attract riders at scale. However, it faces increased competition from partner Waymo, which runs its own robotaxi service in several locations, as well as long-time ride-hailing rival Lyft.
Waymo has reportedly been looking to reduce its reliance on Uber and direct more riders through its own app. That would allow it to retain a larger share of revenue, while its app has already become one of the most popular travel apps by downloads.
Uber's goal is clear: as riders shift from human drivers to robotaxis, it wants to remain the platform people use to book them. In that model, Uber would effectively become a marketplace for autonomous vehicle operators, potentially allowing them to compete on price, availability, and service.
Read more: The competition extends beyond individual deployments, as Uber and Waymo promote competing models for the future robotaxi market.