- A new robotaxi service called Verne, backed by Bugatti Rimac, is launching soon.
- Verne will initially operate in Croatia before expanding to the UK and Germany.
- The company will roll out a stylish hatchback for its services.
A new robotaxi service with backing from Bugatti Rimac chief executive Mate Rimac is on the verge of launching and will join a growing number of firms investing heavily in the autonomous taxi service space.
The new company, named Verne, has been in the works for quite some time. It gets its name from Jules Gabriel Verne, a French novelist, poet, and playwright from the 1800s, and will be led by Ignazio Morello, who previously served as the creative director of the Saatchi and Saatchi advertising agency. Few official details about the company have been announced and its website won’t launch until June 26.
Read: Rimac To Reveal Robotoxi Service Within Months, Report Claims
Rimac’s robotaxi venture, previously known as Project 3 Mobility, has benefited from contributions by Kia and Hyundai. Earlier this year, Rimac revealed a teaser image of the vehicle designated for its robotaxi service, which resembles a compact hatchback. It has also been confirmed that the launch will coincide with Verne’s unveiling on June 26 during a special event at the Rimac Campus in Zagreb, Croatia.
The service is expected to launch in Zagreb this year before expanding to the UK in the third quarter of 2025. Rimac also plans to enter the German market with Verne towards the end of next year. It’s said its robotaxis will be a “revolutionary vehicle built on a completely new platform designed around safety and comfort,” and users will be able to control the car’s infotainment system through a dedicated smartphone app.
While speaking with Tech Crunch in 2021, Mate Rimac said the next big change in our lives will be mobility.
“People see us as the hypercar company,” he said. “We have many other things cooking and have a longer-term outlook. I think that the new mobility will be really a shift in society. Just like phones didn’t just change the phone industry. Apple didn’t just disrupt Nokia, but changed our lives. I think the next big change that we’ll have is mobility.”
