Self-driving taxi test in Zagreb: steering wheel turns automatically

According to TaxiPro, a journalist from Mobiliteit.nl in Zagreb rode in a taxi with no one behind the wheel, while the steering wheel started to move on its own along the way. <cite index="0-1,0-2">A car drives up, but no one is behind the wheel. A little later I'm sitting in the backseat and the steering wheel starts turning by itself.</cite> The trial is part of a test by tech company Pony.ai and mobility company Verne, who <cite index="5-1">in Zagreb allow passengers to ride in robot taxis without a safety operator on board</cite>. <cite index="5-5">The journeys will take place on a route of approximately 22 kilometers between Verne's headquarters, a business district and Franjo Tuđman Airport</cite>, with <cite index="5-9">a remote team monitoring the vehicles but not driving them remotely</cite>.

In the Netherlands, this development is much further removed from practice. <cite index="7-2">The National Road Transport Agency has approved the use of Tesla's Full Self Driving Supervised driver assistance system</cite>, but <cite index="7-5,7-6">this system only provides support to the driver, who must remain alert at all times and be able to intervene immediately</cite>. <cite index="7-10,7-11">Fully autonomous taxis are not yet permitted and the driver remains responsible for the vehicle and the safety of the passengers</cite>. The trial in Zagreb shows what steps are already being taken elsewhere towards taxi rides without a driver, while in the Netherlands the driver will remain necessary for the time being.