Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle maker Pony.ai have announced plans to launch a robotaxi service in London, expanding their partnership to bring driverless cars to Europe. The two companies said Thursday they will begin testing Pony.ai's Gen-7 robotaxis in London in the coming weeks - presumably after teaching them to correctly pronounce "Loughborough."

This is just the latest move in Uber's ambitious push into autonomous vehicle technology, a strategy that can best be described as "partner with literally everyone." The ride-hailing giant has struck deals with more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies, including Pony.ai, over the past few years as it seeks to capture a share of the autonomous delivery and ride-hailing markets.

Uber expects to offer AV trips in as many as 15 cities globally by the end of 2026, roughly split between U.S. and international markets. That's 15 cities where you can awkwardly sit in the back seat and pretend not to be nervous.

Uber and Pony.ai first partnered in May 2025, initially focusing on the Middle East. The relationship has since expanded to Europe, where they plan to deploy 2,000 robotaxis, starting with Croatia's capital, Zagreb - because nothing says "cutting-edge autonomous technology" like a city known for its medieval architecture and intense rakija.

In August 2026, the companies launched an autonomous ride-hailing service in Zagreb with a third partner, Verne. Under that arrangement, Pony.ai supplies the autonomous driving system and the Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi, developed with Chinese automaker BAIC. Verne, a startup set up by Rimac Group founder and CEO Mate Rimac, owns and operates the fleet, while Uber provides access to its vast ride-hailing network. The London service will follow a similar model, though the companies have not said who will own and operate the fleet - a detail that seems important, but what do we know?

Pony.ai won't be Uber's only robotaxi partner in London. The company has also partnered with and invested in British self-driving startup Wayve and plans to launch a robotaxi service in the city. In February 2026, Wayve raised $1.2 billion in a funding round that saw investments from Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber. The total funding in that round could reach $1.5 billion thanks to an additional $300 million from Uber, contingent on Wayve deploying robotaxis, starting in London. Because nothing incentivizes progress like a giant pile of conditional cash.

Uber has pursued this multi-partner strategy elsewhere. In Dubai, for instance, it has struck separate deals with Baidu and WeRide to launch robotaxi services. Because why settle for one autonomous vehicle partner when you can have a whole harem of them?

Pony.ai, meanwhile, has launched robotaxi services in four Chinese cities and secured partnerships with local transportation authorities as it works to expand into European and Middle Eastern markets, including Qatar. So if you're in London, Zagreb, or Doha, get ready to hail a car with no driver and absolutely no one to blame when it takes the scenic route.