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Autonomous robo-taxis now driving themselves on British streets
The Alphabet-owned company is using human safety operators while it maps local roads and seeks approval for rider-only service.
- On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Waymo began testing autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles on London's public roads with human safety operators aboard, mastering local driving nuances as a step toward launching commercial robotaxi services this year.
- Waymo established long-term presence in the country by acquiring the Oxford University startup Latent Logic in 2019, launching an engineering hub in Oxford to build ties to local machine-learning talent and simulation capabilities.
- The Alphabet-owned company operates more than 3,000 robotaxis across 11 cities, supporting its London expansion by hiring locally and establishing AV service centers; documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirm these fleet figures.
- Launching the commercial service remains contingent on the country's government finalizing the approval process, while Waymo coordinates with emergency services to build operational foundations for expanding across Europe.
- Competitive pressure is rising in London as UK-based Wayve and Uber also plan to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service, with those companies and Nissan pursuing pilot programs in Tokyo by late 2026.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Waymo pilots autonomous cars in London
Waymo announced the first autonomous tests of its vehicles in London. The robotaxi firm’s co-founder said its core driving AI was “generalizing very well”; the UK capital, with its medieval layouts and narrow, winding streets, presents a very different challenge to the largely grid-based US cities Waymo launched in. If tests go well and regulators approve, a full customer service could launch this year. The planned ubiquity of self-driving cars …
Waymo’s London Gamble: How Alphabet’s Self-Driving Unit Is Quietly Building Britain’s First Robotaxi Service
A fleet of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles outfitted with Waymo’s sensor arrays has begun rolling through the streets of London, marking the first time an autonomous vehicle company with commercial operations in the United States has started real-world testing in a major European capital. The cars aren’t carrying passengers yet. They’re mapping, sensing, learning — and signaling that the race to bring driverless taxis to Europe’s largest city is no longe…
The arrival of autonomous vehicles in the major European capitals is taking a new step. In London, Waymo's commercial robotaxi project takes shape with the launch of open road tests. After several months of preparation, the company is now refining its system in real conditions. Behind this advance, a clear objective: to propose ... Read more The article London accelerates towards robotaxis with the first Waymo tests appeared first on Fredzone.
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