Yahoo Autos Mate Rimac's Autonomous Taxi Service Is Called Verne
Just last week, Bugatti Rimac Group CEO Mate Rimac established plans to keep the Bugatti brand on top of the ultra-exclusive hypercar world with a new car powered by a V-16 engine. This week, another of his companies is locking in preparations for a very different automotive future. On Wednesday, Rimac's robotaxi company announced plans to begin operations in 2026, starting in the company's home city of Zagreb, Croatia.
The taxi company is named Verne, in honor of science fiction author Jules Verne. Rimac is named as one of three founders, alongside Verne CEO Marko Pejković and Rimac Nevera designer Adriano Mudri. The company's operations have three pillars: A unique autonomous car design, a central ride-hailing smartphone app that customizes the experience within that car, and a "Mothership" city headquarters where cars are regularly refreshed and serviced.
The car is the highlight. A completely new design for the company, it uses autonomous driving technology from company partner Mobileye, which Verne says provides "a system capable of driving in dynamic urban traffic." No information has been provided on what level of autonomy the car's Mobileye Drive system achieves, but the company does say that the system uses cameras, radar, and lidar. If the cars are completely autonomous, that breakthrough frees up the car to be designed around its occupants rather than the actual driving experience.
Outside, riders will be struck by the unique look of a wedge-shaped hatchback design with glass that extends all the way to the front bumpers. Verne design boss Murdi says that the still-unnamed Verne vehicle seats only two "because the data shows that 9 out of 10 rides are used by 1 or 2 people," freeing up his team to focus designs around just those two passengers.
Inside, riders will be greeted by a massive central screen controllable by a smaller tablet between two passengers. Legroom is massive, and the unique experience is accented further by a circular sunroof that the brand calls "the Halo ring." Riders enter and exit through sliding doors.
Ride experiences can be customized by each rider on their app before the car arrives, allowing for an experience that is both distinct to each rider and familiar with every ride. This, the company says, helps provide some sense of ownership to the customer even as they ride in a car they can never actually own.
Verne says that its service will roll out in Zagreb in 2026, and then continue on to other European cities starting with Germany and the United Kingdom. The company says it has agreements with 11 cities in the U.K., E.U., and Middle East. That list could grow as negotiations continue with 30 other cities worldwide.
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