Wayve, Uber Launch London’s 1st Self-Driving Taxis With Human Safety Drivers
· Free Press Journal
London, September 3, 2026: UK-based Wayve Technologies and American multinational Uber on Thursday launched their first fleet of self-driving taxis on London's streets, with human safety drivers supervising the vehicles during the initial phase.
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Passengers in the UK capital who book UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort rides may be matched, at no additional cost, with an all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E fitted with the Wayve AI Driver.
The robotaxis are equipped with surround sensors and will initially have a human safety driver behind the wheel to monitor each journey. The driver can take control of the vehicle or apply the brakes when required.
“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,” said Alex Kendall, CEO and co-founder of Wayve, a London-headquartered technology company.
“Autonomous driving technology will complement the city’s rich transport network, and we’re excited for Londoners to experience it first as we begin our global rollout with Uber,” he said.
Riders May Be Matched With Robotaxis
Uber has designed the in-vehicle experience, which includes an interactive screen available in 64 languages. Riders can use the screen to start their journey and see the vehicle's planned route.
“We’re delighted to bring autonomous rides to Uber riders in London for the very first time, powered by Wayve, a homegrown British success story,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility at Uber.
"London is a world-class hub for transportation innovation, and this launch is a major milestone in scaling safe, accessible AV technology in a city with some of the world’s most complex roads," he said.
During the first phase, passengers cannot specifically request a robotaxi on the Uber app. Instead, those booking a standard Uber ride may be offered a Wayve-equipped vehicle and can accept or reject it.
Fares will be the same as those for standard Uber rides. Passengers will also not be prompted to leave a tip after completing a robotaxi journey, Uber said.
Wayve's AI Driver Learns From Experience
Wayve said its “AV2.0” approach uses an AI Driver that learns from experience in a manner similar to humans, allowing the technology to adapt to complex environments without depending on traditional HD maps or hand-coded rules.
UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds called the development a “hugely exciting milestone for the UK”.
“These autonomous vehicles use homegrown, British AI from Wayve, once again showing that we have the ability to be a genuine world leader in the AI transformation,” he said.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “This is a major milestone for the future of transport in London, as British innovation brings this technology onto our roads and gives passengers more choice.
“As this technology develops, we want to support new opportunities for investment and skills, while recognising the important role that those working in the sector today will continue to play.”
UK Prepares Regulatory Framework
The UK is preparing to introduce a national regulatory framework for self-driving vehicles as companies continue testing autonomous cars on London's streets.
The country has adopted a cautious approach towards autonomous taxis, requiring operators to obtain approval before vehicles can run without a human safety driver.
Wayve and Uber are among the first companies moving towards a commercial passenger service, while other operators are also preparing to enter the market.
Thursday's rollout is part of a partnership between Uber and Wayve that included an investment aimed at introducing Wayve-powered vehicles to the Uber network across 12 markets worldwide, starting with London.
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Wayve said its autonomous driving technology is "agnostic to vehicle platforms and sensor configurations, enabling it to scale quickly".
As the partnership expands to London and other international markets, Wayve and Uber also plan to introduce the Nissan LEAF powered by the Wayve AI Driver using NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion.
The vehicle is scheduled to make its debut in Tokyo later this year.
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