Mate Rimac, already builder of the world’s most powerful EV hypercar and CEO of Bugatti, now wants to revolutionize autonomous ride-hailing
- Verne robo-taxi firm built around two-seat hatchback EV and accompanying ride-hailing app
- The car features myriad personalization options, which you can set before the car arrives
- The service will launch in Zagreb, Croatia this year, and expand into the U.K. and Europe late 2025
Their ”amazing journey,” meanwhile, will involve not just designing a self-driving car, but creating all the support infrastructure needed to operate a fleet of robo-taxis. The first part of the equation is, of course, the car, which, considering the background of the three principles, is unsurprisingly electric. What may be a surprise, however, is that it has just two seats.
That’s because, says Mudri, the company’s research revealed that “nine out of 10 rides are used by one or two people,” and by limiting themselves to two seats, they were able to create unmatched interior space — more than in the back seat of a Rolls-Royce, say the partners — that really allows customers “to stretch their legs.”
Moreover, the car’s interior, the “ambience” if you will, is completely customizable. Everything from the temperature and the lighting to the scent and the music playing when you first enter the Verne is pre-selected before the car arrives. Once inside, you’re greeted by a 43-inch display across the entire “dashboard,” a 17-speaker audio system, and, above, built into the roof, a large circular sunroof — called the Halo — that’s reminiscent of Jules Verne’s Nautilus.
Making sure you arrive at your destination safe and sound is an advanced Mobileye Drive autonomous driving platform that uses cameras, radar, and lidar “to meet the demands of autonomous driving in a variety of locations, on different road types, under varying weather conditions, and even taking local driving styles into account.” Essentially, the company thinks Mobileye’s Autonomous Driving technology is the system that will allow them a seamless roll-out in the many cities around the world the trio see their robo-taxis eventually serving.
The first location, no surprise, will be their hometown of Zagreb, which also means that Croatia will be the home of the first Verne “Mothership.” Not content to simply build the autonomous vehicles themselves, Verne sees every city in which it operates as having a Mothership where the cars are charged, serviced, and cleaned daily.
After the initial launch in Zagreb this year, the partners claim they have signed agreements with no fewer than 11 cities in the U.K., Europe, and the Middle East set to be served by Verne hubs. They claim to be also negotiating with another 30 metropolises worldwide. That expansion will begin in late 2025.
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