Croatian Startup Verne Challenges Robotaxi Giants—With Uber's Backing The autonomous vehicle (AV) landscape is heating up, and a surprising contender is emerging from Croatia. Verne, a startup founded by Mate Rimac of Rimac Group, is poised to launch a commercial robotaxi service in Europe, backed by a strategic partnership with Uber and Chinese autonomous driving leader Pony.ai. This move signals a significant shift in the robotaxi race, potenti...