Uber has unveiled plans to launch its first-ever fully autonomous ride-hailing service in the U.K., joining forces with London-based self-driving technology company Wayve.
The trial, which will allow Uber users to book rides without a human safety driver on board, marks a significant step towards commercializing Level 4 autonomy in Europe.
Set to debut on London’s streets, the pilot is made possible by a new government-endorsed framework aimed at accelerating the deployment of autonomous vehicles.
Uber said the initiative comes as the company moves closer to making driverless transportation mainstream, with President and COO Andrew MacDonald highlighting that the collaboration is a next step toward making autonomous rides safe and reliable for riders everywhere.
Wayve, a deep-tech startup backed by SoftBank, has developed an artificial intelligence-powered “AI Driver” platform designed to interpret surrounding environments and operate across varied geographies.
Wayve CEO, Alex Kendall, remarked on the company’s readiness to put its technology into live service in partnership with Uber and a global OEM partner while touting the collaboration as a defining moment for U.K. autonomous businesses.
Uber endorses the U.K. Department of Transport’s “accelerated framework” for expediting the launch of its pilots in the country, while stating that the company and its partner are working closely with both the national government and Transport for London to secure the necessary approvals and permissions before the trials.
The launch comes in the wake of the U.K.’s Autonomous Vehicles Act, passed last year to set the legal and regulatory groundwork for driverless vehicles to legally operate on British roads by 2026.
While robotaxis have already become a regular feature in cities such as San Francisco—where Alphabet’s Waymo operates a commercial service—Uber’s U.K. pilot signals a fresh competitive edge in a global race to bring self-driving rides to urban centers worldwide.
