Uber and Pony.ai Set London Robotaxi Testing for the Coming Weeks

London is the next testing destination for Uber and Pony.ai’s robotaxi partnership. The companies said on October 8 that Pony.ai’s Gen-7 vehicles would begin testing in the city in the coming weeks, TechCrunch reported. They also plan a London passenger service, extending a partnership that already includes autonomous rides in Zagreb.

No launch date for the London passenger service has been disclosed. Uber and Pony.ai have also not said who will own and operate the fleet.

Zagreb supplies the operating template

Uber and Pony.ai launched an autonomous ride-hailing service in Zagreb in August 2026 with a third partner, Verne. The London service is expected to follow a similar model, which separates the driving technology, ownership of the cars and access to passengers.

The Zagreb arrangement uses the Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi, supplied by Pony.ai and developed with Chinese automaker BAIC. Verne is a startup established by Rimac Group founder and CEO Mate Rimac.

From the Middle East to European cities

The two companies first partnered in May 2025, initially focusing on the Middle East. Their relationship subsequently extended to Europe, where they plan to deploy 2,000 robotaxis, starting with Zagreb. That figure covers the European deployment plan, not a London fleet allocation.

For Uber, the Pony.ai agreement sits within a much larger network of autonomous-vehicle partnerships. The company has struck deals with more than 30 autonomous-vehicle companies over the past few years as it pursues both autonomous delivery and ride-hailing.

Across those partnerships, Uber expects to offer autonomous-vehicle trips in as many as 15 cities globally by the end of 2026. Its company-wide forecast is roughly split between U.S. and international markets.