Uber Begins Registering London Users for Robotaxi Service in Partnership With Wayve

Uber has begun registering users in London for a robotaxi service developed in partnership with Wayve, a British autonomous vehicle company. The registration launch marks one of the first steps toward commercial autonomous ride-hailing in a major European city.

Wayve, which is based in London, has been testing its autonomous driving technology on the city's streets for several years. The company uses a machine learning approach that allows its vehicles to adapt to new environments more quickly than systems that rely on detailed pre-mapped routes.

The partnership with Uber gives Wayve access to a large existing customer base and a proven ride-hailing platform. Uber has been investing in autonomous vehicle partnerships as a way to reduce its dependence on human drivers over the long term.

The London service will initially operate with safety drivers behind the wheel who can take control if needed. Uber and Wayve said they plan to expand the service and reduce the need for safety drivers as the technology matures and regulatory approvals are obtained.

London's streets present particular challenges for autonomous vehicles, including narrow roads, heavy pedestrian traffic, and complex intersections. Wayve said its system has been specifically trained on London driving conditions.

The announcement follows Uber's separate robotaxi testing in Munich with a different partner. The company is pursuing autonomous vehicle partnerships in multiple markets simultaneously as it works toward a future where a portion of its rides are completed without human drivers.