If Mate Rimac’s words from 2021 had come true, residents of Zagreb would have been enjoying autonomous rides in robotaxis for a year now. However, the reality is different, and new ambitious projections have been set for the upcoming year 2026. At that time, Zagreb will become one of the first cities where autonomous robotaxis will become a part of everyday life. A small step towards this was made at the end of March this year when Verne announced that they had begun mapping the roads and conducting test drives in Zagreb, and a factory is also under construction within the new business park VGP Park Zagreb in Lučko, which will be dedicated exclusively to the production of robotaxis. All of this sounds very promising, but we have already seen delays in this project.
Key Year
That infamous year 2026 is becoming a turning point, not only for Zagreb but also for European streets. While Croatia waits for Rimac, announcements from global players indicate that the race in the robotaxi industry is shifting to the Old Continent, with Germany chosen as the first major market for testing and introducing autonomous vehicles into public transport. In the USA, for example, Waymo conducts more than 250,000 paid rides weekly in cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, while in China, Baidu operates around a thousand vehicles and completed approximately 1.4 million rides in the first quarter of this year. Alongside it operates Pony.ai, with a fleet of about 250 autonomous vehicles in the largest Chinese cities, averaging about fifteen orders per vehicle daily.
Uber in Munich
In Munich, Uber, in collaboration with the Chinese start-up Momenta, will launch the first test rides, while American Lyft and Chinese Baidu plan similar moves in Germany and the United Kingdom. Although press releases speak of great ambitions and historic milestones, the reality is more complex. Regulations and safety standards set high barriers. German laws allow testing of level 4 autonomous vehicles, which implies driving without human intervention in strictly defined zones and conditions, but safety operators will still sit behind the wheel, ready to take control if the system fails.
For Uber, this partnership means expanding its global portfolio. The company already collaborates with Waymo in the USA and WeRide in the Middle East, and the connection with Momenta opens doors to the most important European market. Momenta is already an established name in Asia. Their driver assistance systems are integrated into hundreds of thousands of vehicles from Chinese and German manufacturers. This connection with Germany’s traditional automotive industry adds weight to the project in Munich.
Lyft is Coming Too
Lyft, Uber’s main competitor, does not want to fall behind. Its partnership with Baidu, the Chinese giant, is part of a strategy to expand beyond the USA. By acquiring the European app FreeNow, Lyft has secured operations in nine countries and over 180 cities, thus gaining an infrastructure network that opens doors to Europe. Baidu will provide vehicles and technology, while Lyft will coordinate the platform and customer support, the companies stated.
The timing of this selection is not coincidental. Germany, as the heart of the European automotive industry, is also a laboratory where not only technology will be tested but also public trust, regulatory flexibility, and the economic sustainability of autonomous fleets. Pilot projects should demonstrate how willing citizens are to enter a driverless vehicle, who will bear responsibility in the event of an accident, and whether the pricing model will be attractive compared to traditional taxis.
China Dominates
Global statistics show that China has gone the furthest in this industry. Baidu’s Apollo Go service operates more than a thousand vehicles in 15 cities and has completed over 11 million rides to date. However, Europe has different legislation and requirements, so while vehicles in Beijing and Shanghai are already moving without human drivers, in Germany they will be accompanied by a whole range of safety protocols, and driving areas will be strictly limited.
In the background, other players are preparing their own plans. Volkswagen’s subsidiary MOIA is developing an autonomous version of the ID. Buzz, intended for corporate clients, while Chinese Xpeng plans European testing in 2026. All of them are aware that the first successful implementation on European soil will bring enormous reputational and market capital.
Unlike the hype that accompanied the first announcements of autonomous vehicles a decade ago, today’s messages from companies are much more cautious. Both Uber and Lyft emphasize that testing will be gradual, that safety remains an absolute priority, and that development will depend on cooperation with authorities. Promises of thousands of vehicles on the road have been replaced by more realistic expectations: 2026 will be a year of testing and learning, and mass commercial application, if it occurs, will be a few years later.
For European mobility, this still represents a turning point. If the projects prove successful, Germany could become an example of how to regulate, implement, and commercialize robotaxis. If they fail, it will be a serious brake on the entire industry. In either case, Munich will be the place next year where the future of autonomous mobility in Europe will be decided. And we know that what ‘works’ in Germany is often copied by other European countries.
