London has taken another step towards autonomous transport, with Uber and British AI company Wayve launching autonomous rides in the city.
The service uses Wayve’s AI technology and makes London the 2nd European city after Zagreb where Uber offers robotaxi rides.
At launch, a licensed operator will remain inside the vehicle to monitor the journey. Fully driverless operations could begin in the future, although regulatory approvals are still required.
Riders booking UberX, Uber Comfort or Uber Electric may be matched with a Wayve-powered Ford Mustang Mach-E at no additional cost. Fewer than 20 vehicles will be available initially.
Regulatory hurdles remain before Uber and Wayve can introduce fully driverless services across London. The companies are still awaiting required authorisations, including processes involving Transport for London.
Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous Mobility, said the launch would “build credibility with consumers as well as with the government”.
British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called the development “a major milestone for the future of transport in London, as British innovation brings this technology onto our roads and gives passengers more choice.”
Wayve’s AI Driver is designed to learn from driving experience in a way similar to a human driver. According to the companies, this allows it to adapt to different roads, vehicles, weather conditions and cities.
Uber and Wayve partnered in 2024, including through an investment, with plans to use Wayve-powered vehicles across multiple markets in the future.
Alex Kendall, CEO and co-founder of Wayve, said, “We’re proud to introduce the Wayve AI Driver to the public for the first time right here in London, our home city and one of the most complex driving environments in the world.”
The London launch gives both companies an opportunity to test autonomous mobility with passengers while building public and regulatory confidence ahead of a potential expansion of fully driverless services.
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