Uber opens sign-ups for London robotaxis powered by Wayve

TL;DR:

  • Uber has opened sign-ups for London’s first robotaxis, expected to launch within months once regulators approve.
  • The cars use AI from British startup Wayve and will initially carry trained safety operators.
  • It would be the first time the public can hail an autonomous vehicle in the UK.

Uber has opened sign-ups for a chance to ride in London’s first robotaxis, with a launch expected within months pending regulatory approval. The vehicles — Ford Mustang Mach-E cars branded Uber x Wayve — will drive themselves using AI from British startup Wayve, though trained operators will sit behind the wheel at first. “This is the first time the general public will be able to hail an autonomous vehicle in the UK,” said Wayve’s Kaity Fischer.

Britain catches up on autonomous mobility

Robotaxis already run in US cities and across China, but Europe has lagged on tighter legislation and more complex, older street layouts. Wayve’s technology has been tested on London roads since 2018, using surround cameras and radar processed on-vehicle; in a Reuters test ride it handled buses, swerving cyclists and pedestrians stepping onto crossings. Autonomous rides will not cost more than conventional ones, Uber said, and customers can decline an AV match.

The UK government has positioned this as a homegrown success. Transport minister Heidi Alexander called Wayve “a British success story” and the Uber partnership “a welcome vote of confidence”, noting Britain’s 2025 commitment to fast-track driverless pilots before wider rollout. Commercial services still need approval from local authorities such as Transport for London. Competition is already circling London’s streets: Alphabet’s Waymo plans commercial services this year, and Uber and Lyft will test Baidu’s Apollo Go cars. Wayve, which partnered with Uber in 2024, raised £1.2bn ($1.5bn) in February — including money from Uber, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and Nissan — at a £6.8bn ($8.6bn) valuation.

Looking forward

For the UK, the launch is a marquee test of whether a British AI company can commercialise self-driving at scale on home turf before US and Chinese rivals do. The economics — no fare premium, safety operators for now — suggest a cautious rollout. The real signal is regulatory: how quickly TfL and ministers move from pilot to public service will shape whether Britain leads or merely hosts the technology.

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