Pony AI (PONY) Stock: Rebounds as Zagreb Driverless Test Marks Major Europe Milestone

TLDR

• Pony AI stock edges higher as Zagreb begins fully driverless Robotaxi tests.
• Driverless passenger rides cover a 22-kilometer route linking Zagreb Airport.
• Pony.ai and Verne plan to expand fully driverless routes across Zagreb soon.
• Verne’s Robotaxi fleet has logged over 200,000 kilometers since April launch.
• Pony.ai targets more than 3,500 Robotaxis across over 20 cities by end-2026.

Pony AI (PONY) stock edged higher Thursday after the company started fully driverless passenger tests in Zagreb. PONY traded at $6.76, up 0.03% in pre-market trading after Wednesday’s 5.85% decline. The Zagreb program strengthens Pony.ai’s European expansion as the company prepares for broader commercial Robotaxi deployment.

Pony AI Inc. American Depositary Shares, PONY

Pony AI Stock Gains as Zagreb Test Expands European Operations

Pony.ai and Verne have started driverless Robotaxi passenger rides on public roads across Zagreb. The companies operate the tests along a 22-kilometer route connecting key business areas with Zagreb Airport. Moreover, they plan to expand the routes across the wider operating area during coming months.

The latest development follows more than five months of commercial Robotaxi operations in the Croatian capital. Verne has already recorded more than 200,000 kilometers and completed several thousand customer journeys. Meanwhile, passengers have given the service an average rating of 4.7 out of five.

The transition removes the onboard autonomous vehicle operator used during the earlier phase. As a result, Pony.ai can test fully driverless operations under real passenger conditions in Europe. The company also gains another deployment case outside its established autonomous driving operations in China.

Pony.ai and Verne Advance Commercial Robotaxi Strategy

Pony.ai announced its European deployment partnership with Verne and Uber earlier this year. Under the arrangement, Pony.ai supplies autonomous driving systems while Verne manages daily service operations. Uber connects customers to the Robotaxi service through its existing mobility platform.

The partnership gives each company a defined role as the Zagreb operation expands. Verne manages local requirements and fleet operations, while Pony.ai provides its seventh-generation Robotaxi technology. Therefore, the model allows Pony.ai to enter overseas markets without handling every operational function directly.

Pony.ai uses a seventh-generation Robotaxi equipped with its L4 domain controller and NVIDIA DRIVE AGX hardware. The vehicle also uses 360-degree sensors, system redundancy, and fail-operational functions for driverless operation. Pony.ai previously tested this architecture across dense urban traffic and difficult weather conditions in China.

Pony AI Targets Wider Global Robotaxi Expansion

Pony.ai currently runs fully driverless commercial services across four major Chinese cities. Its autonomous vehicles have completed more than 100 million kilometers across global operations. Furthermore, fully driverless vehicles account for more than 40 million kilometers of that total.

The company plans to use similar experience as it expands across Europe and other international markets. Its overseas pipeline now includes planned deployments of more than 4,000 Robotaxis through various partnerships. That total includes plans with Uber covering more than 2,000 vehicles across European markets.

Pony.ai aims to operate more than 3,500 Robotaxis globally by the end of 2026. The company also expects its Robotaxi operations to reach more than 20 cities worldwide. Consequently, Zagreb gives Pony.ai another operating base as it expands its international driverless transportation network.

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