Uber launches London's first robotaxi service, beating Waymo with Wayve-powered fleet

London Uber customers can now request a robotaxi through the app, choosing UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Electric. The fleet currently consists of only 15 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles, a tiny fraction of the capital's more than 100,000 private-hire cars. Riders are notified before an autonomous vehicle is dispatched and can opt for a traditional car if they prefer. Uber said pricing is the same as normal rides, and customers are not prompted to tip the safety driver.

Uber received its London license to operate autonomous vehicles last month from Transport for London, which required a human safety driver to be present at all times. The safety driver will monitor the journey and can take control if needed. Fully driverless operations would require separate approval from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, making such services unlikely this year.

The launch marks a significant milestone for Uber, which has been planning a UK rollout with Wayve for several years. It also serves as an early test of whether consumers outside the US and China, where most robotaxis currently operate, will embrace driverless ride-hailing. Wayve's technology differs from rivals like Waymo: it relies on an AI learning model rather than high-definition maps, and uses cameras and radar but not lidar. The company says its system can adapt to new roads and environments like a human driver.

Alex Kendall, Wayve's co-founder and chief executive, said he was proud to introduce the AI Driver technology to the public in London, "our home city and one of the most complex driving environments in the world." He acknowledged the technology was "still maturing" but said fully driverless services would eventually arrive as the company works toward approval and production vehicles. Uber's head of autonomous mobility, Sarfraz Maredia, said the launch was "a major milestone in scaling safe, accessible AV technology in a city with some of the world's most complex roads." He also responded to concerns from human drivers, saying: "We always want Uber to be a platform where both human drivers and AVs can operate."

Wayve, founded in 2017, has raised $1.2 billion from investors including Uber, Nvidia, Stellantis, Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz. It is also working with Stellantis on hands-free driving and, together with Uber, plans to bring Nissan autonomous vehicles to Tokyo. Waymo has said it will launch its own robotaxi service in London before the end of the year, while Lyft is partnering with China's Baidu on a robotaxi service in the Brent neighborhood.