Waymo to Launch First Driverless Taxi Service in the UK Waymo is set to bring its autonomous taxis to the UK in 2026, marking the company’s first major expansion outside of the United States. The Alphabet-owned company has chosen Moove as its fleet operations partner for the venture. Waymo is currently in discussions with UK authorities to secure the necessary permissions to launch its robotaxi service, with plans to begin in London next year. Currently, there are no fully driverless cars operating on public roads in London or anywhere else in the UK. This is poised to change next year when the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 begins to take effect. This new legislation is designed to create a regulatory framework for the eventual widespread arrival of self-driving vehicles across the country. As a first step, the UK government will help facilitate robotaxi pilot programs starting in the spring of 2026. Navigating London will present a significant challenge for Waymo’s technology. The city is famous for its complex road network, narrow winding streets, and heavy traffic, all built long before the age of the automobile. Despite this difficult environment, Waymo expressed confidence in its technology. In a statement, the company said its self-driving system significantly reduces the risk of injury-causing collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians when compared to cars driven by humans. The announcement of Waymo’s arrival was welcomed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People. The RNIB sees self-driving taxis as a crucial first step toward larger-scale autonomous travel, which could greatly improve mobility for visually impaired individuals. Waymo already has established connections to the UK. The company operates its first international engineering hubs in both London and Oxford. It also has a partnership with the British automaker Jaguar Land Rover. This collaboration involves equipping all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles with the Waymo Driver self-driving technology for its taxi fleet in the US. Waymo will not have the UK’s autonomous vehicle market to itself. Competitors are already preparing to launch their own services. Uber and the British self-driving startup Wayve are planning their own robotaxi pilot program to launch around the same time. The CEO of Wayve, Alex Kendall, previously described the arrival of the Automated Vehicles Act as a defining moment for UK autonomy. This sets the stage for a competitive race to deploy self-driving cars on British streets.
