Uber Bets on a Robotaxi Marketplace Model

Bloomberg : Pony AI reports 2025 revenue up 20% YoY to ~$90M, total annual losses down 72% YoY to ~$76.8M, and a $75.5M net income in Q4, its first profitable quarter ever — Pony AI Inc. delivered its first profitable quarter ever, bolstered by a windfall from an early investment, rather than its main robotaxi business.

Uber has partnered with China’s Pony AI and Croatia-based Verne, a Rimac spinoff, to launch what the companies describe as Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service, according to The Verge. The service is set to debut in Zagreb, Croatia, and the partners say they are already testing autonomous vehicles in the country ahead of the commercial rollout. The deal brings together Uber’s ride-hailing platform, Pony AI’s autonomous driving technology, and Verne’s local vehicle and operational footprint. If successful, the launch would mark a notable step for autonomous ride-hailing in Europe, a region where robotaxi deployments have lagged the US and China due to regulatory and operational hurdles. No launch date, fleet size, or pricing details were provided.

Verne, a robotaxi company launched under Croatia’s Rimac Group, is preparing to enter the autonomous ride-hailing market, starting with a service in Zagreb, Croatia. The effort is positioned as a bid to compete in the emerging robotaxi sector, and the title indicates the project has help from Uber, though the provided article text does not detail the nature, scope, or timing of that involvement. The launch matters because robotaxi deployments are typically concentrated in a few U.S. and Chinese cities; a Zagreb rollout would broaden the geography of commercial autonomous mobility pilots and could test regulatory, operational, and consumer adoption conditions in a smaller European market. No dates, fleet size, vehicle specifications, or service launch metrics were included in the available content.

Zoox brings its robotaxis to Austin and Miami

TechCrunch Mobility: Uber everywhere, all at once

Uber and Rivian announced a partnership to deploy up to 50,000 fully autonomous robotaxis built on Rivian platforms for ride-hailing service. Rivian will supply electric vehicle hardware and likely collaborate on vehicle integration while Uber provides the mobility network, rider demand and operational scale; the deal aims to accelerate commercial robotaxi rollouts. This matters because it pairs a major automaker focused on EVs with a dominant ride-hail platform, potentially lowering costs and speeding driverless adoption while reshaping urban transport, EV fleet economics, and competition with other AV players. Key challenges include safety certification, autonomous software integration, regulatory approval and scaling charging and maintenance infrastructure.

Rivian said it will delay its 2027 profitability target to invest heavily in autonomous driving development, prioritizing self-driving technology over near-term earnings. The EV maker, competing with Tesla and other automakers, is allocating capital and engineering resources toward autonomy and software, betting advanced driver-assist and self-driving features will drive long-term differentiation and higher-margin services. The shift reflects broader industry trends where software-defined vehicles and autonomous capabilities are seen as strategic priorities, affecting manufacturing, supply chains, and investor expectations. For investors and automotive-tech partners, the move signals a willingness to absorb short-term losses to capture potential future revenue from software, data and mobility services tied to autonomy.

Waymo 13x safer than human drivers

Waymo 13x safer than human drivers

Rivian sacrifices 2027 profit goal to push deeper into autonomy

Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge : Uber plans to invest $1.25B in Rivian through 2031, contingent on meeting autonomy milestones, starting with $300M at signing, to deploy 50K Level 4 robotaxis — The companies say they plan on deploying 10,000 autonomous Rivian R2 vehicles by 2031. … Uber and Rivian are joining forces …

Uber taps Rivian to build robotaxis in deal worth up to $1.25B

Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge : Nvidia announces BYD, Geely, Isuzu, and Nissan will use its Drive Hyperion AV platform and says Uber will launch Hyperion-powered robotaxis in 28 cities by 2028 — The chipmaker has been at the center of simmering trade tensions between the US and China.

Jordyn Holman / New York Times : Q&A with Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana on accidents, why autonomous vehicles won't lead to job losses, plans to license Waymo tech to other companies, and more — Waymo's co-chief executive, Tekedra Mawakana, knows she needs to earn the public's trust. It won't be easy.

TechCrunch Mobility: Travis Kalanick’s return proves it really is 2016 again

Rivian’s RJ Scaringe thinks we’re doing robots all wrong

Natalie Lung / Bloomberg : Travis Kalanick renames CloudKitchens' parent company as Atoms, focused on creating “gainfully employed robots” for the food, mining, and transport industries — Uber Technologies Inc. co-founder Travis Kalanick has launched a new venture that will focus on creating …

Travis Kalanick reportedly starting a new self-driving company backed by Uber

Motional robotaxis join the Uber app in Vegas two years after major reset

Natalie Lung / Bloomberg : Uber is relaunching a robotaxi service with Hyundai-backed Motional in Las Vegas; the service will initially have a safety driver behind the wheel — Uber Technologies Inc. is relaunching a robotaxi service with the Hyundai Motor Co.-backed company Motional in Las Vegas …

Lucid Motors shows off robotaxi concept called ‘Lunar’

Uber, Wayve and Nissan plan to launch a robotaxi service in Tokyo this year

Kosaku Narioka / Wall Street Journal : Uber partners with Nissan and Wayve to offer robotaxi services in Tokyo, its first autonomous-vehicle partnership in Japan, with a pilot planned for late 2026 — Uber intends to start offering the service through a licensed taxi partner in Japan — Uber Technologies, Nissan Motor …

Akash Sriram / Reuters : Nuro says it has begun testing its self-driving tech on public roads in Tokyo, marking the US-based company's first international autonomous deployment — U.S.-based startup Nuro said on Wednesday its self-driving vehicles are now operating on public roads in Tokyo with safety operators present …

Nuro is testing its autonomous vehicle tech on Tokyo’s streets

Sean O'Kane / TechCrunch : Amazon's Zoox partners with Uber to offer its robotaxis on the Uber app, starting in Las Vegas in late 2026 and expanding to LA in 2027; Zoox needs US approval — Amazon-owned Zoox plans to make its robotaxis available to hail on the Uber app in Las Vegas later this year, the two companies announced Wednesday.

Zoox plans to put its robotaxis on the Uber app in Vegas this year

Zoox starts mapping Dallas and Phoenix for its robotaxis