Pony.ai and Verne Begin Driverless Robotaxi Test Rides in Zagreb
Invited passengers can travel a 22-kilometer route to Zagreb’s airport with no onboard driver, bringing Verne’s service closer to fully driverless operation.
Pony.ai and Verne have begun carrying invited passengers in fully driverless robotaxi tests on public roads in Zagreb, Croatia.
The September 10 announcement (opens in a new tab) marks a change from the service’s earlier rides, which kept a trained operator onboard. The new tests cover a 22-kilometer route connecting Verne’s headquarters, a business district, and Zagreb’s airport.
From supervised rides to driverless tests
Verne opened its paid service in April (opens in a new tab) using electric vehicles fitted with Pony.ai’s driving system. Trained operators supervised those early journeys while the companies worked toward removing the onboard operator.
The companies report more than 200,000 kilometers of service operations since April. That total includes the earlier supervised service, rather than measuring the new driverless tests.
For now, the fully driverless rides are for invited passengers. The announcement does not give a date when everyone will be able to book a ride without an onboard operator.
The technology and the next step
The seventh-generation Pony.ai vehicles use an onboard computer built on NVIDIA DRIVE AGX. Pony.ai supplies the autonomous driving technology, while Verne manages local operations. Uber provides another way for riders to access the service.
The partners plan to extend the fully driverless test routes over the next few months, working toward coverage across their Zagreb operating area.
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