Rimac to debut new robotaxi inspired by Jules Verne

Grubby minicabs and Uber rides with overly talkative drivers could soon be things of the past as an all-new, fully autonomous taxi service has been announced, backed by Mate Rimac – the founder of the eponymous electric hypercar firm.

Up until now, the only place you’re likely to find a Rimac being used as a taxi is in Dubai, however, this new driverless mobility service, called ‘Verne’, intends to become a pioneer in the autonomous taxi – also known as ‘robotaxi’ – space.

Exact details of the project are to be revealed on 26 June. For now, all we know is that Verne, named after the famous science fiction novelist, will be headed up by Ignazio Morello: the ex-creative director of Saatchi and Saatchi, an advertising agency that has worked with the likes of Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota and Renault.

Given Mate Rimac is only a supporter of this project, we don’t expect the Verne robotaxi to look anything like the Croatian brand’s multi-million-pound Rimac Nevera supercar. We could, however, see some Jules Verne-inspired steampunk design elements to set the firm’s vehicles aside from conventional road cars.

Verne’s launch follows the enshrinement in law of the UK’s new Autonomous Vehicles Act. This is designed to place the blame in the case of an accident on the manufacturer or programmer – instead deeming the driver as a ‘user-in-charge’ – and intends to pave the way for fully autonomous vehicles to appear on British roads as soon as 2026.

As of the time of writing, very few firms worldwide operate robotaxi services, with none offering services in the UK. In December 2023, China finalised legislation regarding autonomous vehicles, requiring robotaxis to be overseen by remote operators and autonomous buses to carry an in-person driver in case of emergencies.

Over in the United States, a firm called Cruise is currently testing its autonomous taxi service, which utilises modified versions of the Chevrolet Bolt electric car, across several cities in Texas. We expect Tesla to show its own take on the robotaxi in the coming months, too.

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