Brief
Uber and Pony.ai to test robotaxis in London later this month
The partnership expands Uber's autonomous‑vehicle network and follows a launch in Zagreb earlier this year.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Uber and Chinese autonomous‑vehicle firm Pony.ai said on Thursday they will start testing Pony.ai’s Gen‑7 robotaxis in London within weeks.
The service will follow a similar model to the autonomous ride‑hailing operation the two companies launched in Zagreb in August 2026, where Pony.ai supplies the driving system and Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi, while a third partner, Verne, operates the fleet and Uber provides its ride‑hailing platform.
London will be the next city in a broader European rollout that began with a partnership in May 2025 focused on the Middle East. Uber aims to run autonomous trips in up to 15 cities worldwide by the end of 2026, split between the United States and international markets.
Pony.ai is not Uber’s sole robotaxi partner in the UK. The ride‑hailing giant also backs British startup Wayve, which raised $1.2 billion in February 2026, including a contingent $300 million from Uber tied to Wayve’s London deployment.
Uber’s multi‑partner strategy mirrors deals in Dubai with Baidu and WeRide, while Pony.ai continues expanding its Chinese operations and seeks further European and Middle‑Eastern contracts.
Key facts
- Uber and Pony.ai will begin testing Gen‑7 robotaxis in London in the coming weeks. (techcrunch.com)
- The London rollout follows a similar model to the August 2026 launch in Zagreb. (techcrunch.com)
- Uber plans autonomous trips in up to 15 cities globally by the end of 2026. (techcrunch.com)
- Pony.ai also partners with British startup Wayve, which raised $1.2 billion in February 2026. (techcrunch.com)
Sources
- [1] techcrunch.com — originally reported as “Uber and China's Pony. ai plan to launch robotaxis in London”
