The first robotaxi service will start in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2026.
Supercar manufacturer Rimac has unveiled the Rimac Verne Robotaxi, a two-seater sports coupe with sliding doors and no steering wheel or wipers.
The first self-driving taxi service will start in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2026, but Verne will be deployed in 11 cities in Germany, the UK, and the Middle East.
Here are the most important details available so far about self-driving taxis, but it is elegant and luxurious for wealthy customers.
Rimac Verne Robotaxi Self-Driving Sports Car
With the record-breaking Nevera electric car, Mate Rimac has already revolutionized the supercar industry.
Now it wants to do the same thing but in a different realm: self-driving robotaxi. Although its new Verne robotic car has only two seats and comes in a coupe-style body, it looks sportier than any other competitors like Cruise or Waymo. And Rimac’s car isn’t meant to break the quarter-mile record. It’s meant to offer a luxurious and distinctive experience.
Rimac Verne Robotaxi with only two seats
- Unlike Waymo's Chevrolet Volt and modified Jaguar I-Pace SUVs, the Verne is entirely new and was intended to be autonomous from the start, not just one of the company's vehicles being modified for its new self-driving taxi business.
- This explains how Rimac's Verne subsidiary, named after science fiction writer Verne Jules, was able to build a taxi with only two seats, despite the company's studies suggesting otherwise.
- The company says that nine times out of ten taxi rides only have one or two passengers, so it only offers two-seater cars.
Autonomous vehicle startup Project 3 Mobility, set up by the founder of Croatian electric vehicle maker Rimac Group, presented its self-driving robotaxi named after French writer Jules Verne ahead of a planned launch in 2026 https://t.co/KnHnfJQl4i pic.twitter.com/8hG9MG3RVM
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 27, 2024
Luxury when ordering Rimac Verne Robotaxi cars
Using an app, passengers can order a Rimac Verne Robotaxi and use their smartphone settings to pre-adjust the temperature, ambient lighting, and even the fragrance (assuming the previous passenger left their own scent in the car), to be changed before the new passenger arrives and the car is scented with a neutral fragrance.
When the car reaches the new passengers, sliding doors allow them into the cabin, which is spacious, "the size of a Rolls-Royce", where they are directed to reclining chairs that give the impression that they are in a living room, not a vehicle.
Rimac Verne Robotaxi No wipers No steering wheel
The most important feature of the Rimac Verne Robotaxi self-driving taxi is the luxury and elegance that will of course be offered by a supercar and luxury company like Rimac.
The Rimac Verne Robotaxi features a huge 43-inch screen for entertainment and trip information, and 17 speakers to play your favorite music.
Also, the steering wheel is not there to block the screen. The car settings are managed using the touchpad located between the seats.
Additionally, Rimac claims the medium allows users to start and stop the ride, giving them a sense of control.
Interesting touches to the panoramic sunroofs include a circular glass halo ring carved into the headliner, while the materials used in the cabin are said to be made to resist the wear and tear these cars receive, while still feeling “welcoming, luxurious, and comfortable.”
It remains to be seen whether the passenger will still feel comfortable traveling along the highway in the rain and unable to see anything through the windshield due to the lack of wipers.
Adaptable and scalable platform
The company has revealed that the platform for the new Rimac Verna Robo Taxi is scalable and can be modified for use on different types of roads, but no details have been announced regarding technical specifications, engine power output, battery size, range, and other important information about the powertrain.
What's more, the company says Mobileye's self-driving suite of cameras, radar, and lidar can adapt to regional driving habits, seemingly making it possible to bring the service to countries where following traffic laws is optional.
Turning rimac's Verne Robotaxi Concept into Reality
Mate Rimac founded Verne with two friends from the Rimac Group: Adriano Modri, the designer of the Navarra, who is currently the taxi company's chief design officer, and Marko Pejkovic, Verne's CEO.
Moreover, the car is more than just a concept that might only hit the road if Mate can raise billions of dollars in funding.
Eleven other cities in the UK, Germany, the rest of Europe, and the Middle East have already signed up for the service, which will start in 2026 in Rimac's home city of Zagreb, Croatia, where the taxis will be built.
Verne's team is in talks with 30 other cities around the world to get self-driving taxis, which they claim will enhance public transport rather than replace it.
Self-driving taxis have a bad reputation
Self-driving taxis have gotten a bad rap in the past year due to widely reported safety incidents involving the company. Cruise.
But with Verne just announcing her entry, and set to launch self-driving taxis in August, the future of the industry looks much more promising.
For the Rimac Group, whose Nevera has had difficulty finding buyers, things appear to be looking up.