March 26 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies ( UBER ) has partnered with Pony.ai and autonomous vehicle startup Verne to roll out the first commercial robotaxi service in Europe, with operations set to start in the Croatian capital Zagreb.

Under the deal, Chinese robotaxi firm Pony.ai will supply the autonomous driving technology, while Croatian startup Verne will serve as the fleet owner and manage day-to-day operations, the companies said on Thursday.

Uber ( UBER ) will integrate the service into its global ride-hailing platform, operating alongside Verne's own customer-facing app.

The companies "aim to build a scalable path toward commercial robotaxi services in Zagreb and, over time, potentially into additional European cities and other markets, with plans to scale to a fleet of thousands of robotaxis over the next few years," the statement said.

Uber ( UBER ) will also invest in Verne, named after French writer Jules Verne, and support its expansion as a strategic partner, as part of the deal.

The trio has already started on-road testing in Zagreb, with preparations for fare-charging services underway.

Verne will spearhead efforts to obtain European regulatory approval for launches and coordinate the deployment of Pony.ai's robotaxis throughout Verne and Uber's ( UBER ) platforms.

Uber ( UBER ) has amassed partnerships with nearly two dozen autonomous vehicle technology companies across every use case, from robotaxis and trucking to sidewalk delivery robots and drones, as it looks to capitalize on rising interest in driverless taxis.