Waymo to launch in London

Waymo is launching its driverless taxis in London next year, marking its first expansion into Europe.

The Alphabet-owned, California-based firm today confirmed that it will test a small fleet of its vehicles with safety drivers behind the wheel in London in the coming months, ahead of a full rollout in 2026. The autonomous taxis, hailed by an app, are currently available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Phoenix as well as Tokyo.

Waymo is partnering with Uber-backed Moove to oversee and manage the fleet, which will likely be available for hire by the general public and tourists.

In a blog post, Waymo said it will “continue to engage with local and national leaders to secure the necessary permissions for our commercial ride-hailing service in London."

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, said: “We’re thrilled to bring the reliability, safety and magic of Waymo to Londoners.

“Waymo is making roads safer and transportation more accessible where we operate. We’ve demonstrated how to responsibly scale fully autonomous ride-hailing, and we can’t wait to expand the benefits of our technology to the United Kingdom."

Heidi Alexander, secretary of state for transport, said: “I’m delighted that Waymo intends to bring their services to London next year, under our proposed piloting scheme.

“Boosting the AV sector will increase accessible transport options alongside bringing jobs, investment, and opportunities to the UK. Cutting edge investment like this will help us deliver our mission to be world-leaders in new technology and spearhead national renewal that delivers real change in our communities.”

Waymo has existing UK hubs in London and Oxford and has a partnership with British vehicle brand Jaguar Land Rover.

The introduction of Waymo’s taxis comes as the UK government trials the use of self-driving vehicles next year. These will permit the public to book automated rides using apps.

Photo Credit: Waymo