Verne's commercial service in Zagreb continues to provide valuable experience in operating autonomous vehicles in real-world conditions. In October, the company hosted fully driverless rides for international journalists, welcomed Uber's leadership team and began testing in Manchester, taking its work beyond Croatia. 

Experiencing autonomous mobility firsthand 

In October, Verne welcomed Croatian and international journalists to Zagreb for a closer look at the technology, people and operations behind the service. 

Croatian journalists experienced fully driverless rides along the 22-kilometre route between Verne's headquarters and Zagreb Airport, with no driver or safety operator onboard. The demonstrations gave journalists an opportunity to see how the technology performs in real traffic conditions. 

Verne also joined Uber and Pony.ai to host European media for an event combining commercial autonomous rides booked through the Uber app, fully driverless demonstrations, interviews and a presentation of Verne's future vehicle concept. 

The events received coverage across European markets, including reports from Euronews, La Vanguardia and Gazeta Wyborcza. Their accounts gave international audiences a closer look at the passenger experience and the operations behind autonomous mobility in Zagreb. 

Uber leadership visits Verne in Zagreb 

As part of the ongoing partnership, Verne welcomed Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and members of Uber's senior leadership team to Zagreb. 

During their visit, they toured Verne's facilities, met the team behind the service and experienced a fully driverless ride. 

The visit provided an opportunity to review progress in Zagreb and discuss the next stages of cooperation between Verne, Uber and Pony.ai. 

Each company brings a distinct area of expertise. Pony.ai provides the autonomous driving technology, Verne operates the fleet and manages the service, while Uber connects passengers to autonomous rides through its global platform. 

Verne’s commercial service in Zagreb began in April, with Uber bookings introduced in August. The service operates with trained AV operators onboard, while fully driverless rides remain a separate testing activity. 

From Zagreb to Manchester

Beyond Croatia, Verne and its partners announced the start of autonomous vehicle testing in Manchester in October. 

Manchester brings different roads, traffic conditions and operational requirements. Building on experience gained in Zagreb, the testing in Manchester focuses on assessing the technology in a different traffic environment and understanding the operational requirements for future commercial service.

Interested in autonomous rides in Manchester? Join the waitlist to register your interest and receive updates on future service availability.