Wayve launches London's first robotaxi service with Uber

Wayve, a UK-based AI startup, has launched supervised autonomous rides through the Uber app in London, marking the city’s first public robotaxi service. The service went live around 2–3 September 2026 with an initial fleet of approximately 15 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles, each carrying a trained safety driver. According to the company, the car’s AI performs the driving.

The startup’s AV2.0 system does not use high-definition maps or geofencing, relying instead on camera and sensor data processed in real time through what it calls experience-based learning. This differs from the approach of other autonomous vehicle operators such as Waymo.

Wayve opened an interest list in June 2026 that attracted more than 100,000 sign-ups. In August 2026, Transport for London granted the company Private Hire Vehicle licences, clearing the way for commercial operations. Riders can request a Wayve vehicle through UberX, Uber Comfort or Uber Electric at standard pricing. The partnership with Uber dates back to 2024.

The company said that full unsupervised Level 4 operations, without a safety driver, are not expected within the year and that further regulatory approvals from UK authorities are needed.

Wayve raised $1.2 billion in a Series D round in February 2026, bringing total funding to more than $2.5 billion and valuing the company at $8.6 billion. It has partnerships with Stellantis and Nissan, and plans a Nissan Leaf pilot in Tokyo by late 2026. The company has discussed ambitions to operate in more than ten cities. It was founded by Alex Kendall and employs approximately 1,000 people.

Waymo has announced plans to extend its own robotaxi service to London by the end of 2026.