China’s Pony.ai and Uber plan to begin robotaxi road tests in London within weeks, following the launch of their autonomous ride service in Zagreb, Croatia.
The October 8th announcement marks a further step in the companies’ plans to expand their autonomous ride-hailing partnership in Europe. However, the London project remains at the testing stage, and the companies have not announced a date for commercial operations.
The move follows an August announcement of an expanded partnership. Under the agreement, Pony.ai and Uber plan to deploy more than 2,000 robotaxis across Europe, expanding from Zagreb, Croatia, to four additional cities. The companies have yet to announce the full list of locations or a detailed rollout schedule.
Zagreb Service Provides a European Starting Point
In August, Pony.ai, Uber and Croatian mobility company Verne launched autonomous rides through the Uber app in Zagreb, marking the first time users in Europe could book an autonomous vehicle through the platform.
At launch, the service covered selected areas, including the city centre, and operated from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. A licensed operator sat behind the wheel to monitor the vehicle.
The companies have since made further progress towards fully driverless operations. On September 10th, Pony.ai and Verne announced the start of fully driverless Robotaxi test rides with passengers on public roads in Zagreb. The tests use a 22-kilometre route linking Verne’s headquarters and a major business district with Zagreb Airport.
Under the Zagreb partnership, Pony.ai supplies the autonomous driving technology, while Verne owns and operates the fleet. Uber provides access to customers through its ride-hailing platform.
London’s Autonomous Ride-Hailing Market
Pony.ai will enter a London market where Uber has already introduced another autonomous driving partner. On September 3rd, Uber and British autonomous driving company Wayve launched supervised autonomous rides in the city.
Passengers requesting UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort may be matched with a Wayve-equipped all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E. A trained, TfL-licensed private hire driver remains on board to monitor the vehicle during the trial.
Meanwhile, the UK government’s code of practice for automated vehicle trials requires a safety driver who is ready and able to take control during public-road testing. Trial operators must also ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and appropriately insured. Separate arrangements are available for approved pilot deployments without a safety driver.
Pony.ai and Uber have not disclosed the number of vehicles planned for the London tests or when the service might become available to passengers.
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