London gets closer to its first robotaxi service as Waymo begins testing

Waymo has started testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads in London as it prepares to launch a commercial robotaxi service in the city this year. The Alphabet-owned company has been working toward this moment for months. Waymo announced in October it planned to begin driving on London’s public roads. Waymo employees initially drove the vehicles manually to map the city before starting autonomous testing. For now, the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace equipped with Waymo’s self-driving system have a human safety operator behind the wheel. “Core driving AI generalizing very well,” Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov wrote in a LinkedIn post announcing the testing. “Autonomous testing now underway with specialists behind the wheel as we master local nuances and validate performance on UK roads — a key step toward rider-only deployment.” Waymo said in another post on LinkedIn that it is investing in the country by hiring locally and establishing multiple AV service centers across London. The company also said it was working with emergency services “as we build the foundation to expand our business in Europe.” If Waymo follows its typical strategy, the company will eventually conduct driverless testing and allow its own employees to try out the service before inviting the public to hail its robotaxis. Waymo’s plans to launch that service in 2026 hinges on the U.K. government finalizing its approval process for those operations. Waymo already has ties to the U.K.: In 2019, the company acquired Latent Logic, a U.K. startup spun out of Oxford University’s computer science department that uses a form of machine learning called imitation learning to make self-driving car simulation more realistic. Waymo launched an engineering hub in Oxford as part of the acquisition. Waymo has more than 3,000 robotaxis in its fleet, the company has previously told TechCrunch. Documents filed in January with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration support those figures, although it’s possible that fleet has expanded with the addition of a new minivan-like vehicle made by Zeekr. Techcrunch event Meet your next investor or portfolio startup at Disrupt Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $410. Meet your next investor or portfolio startup at Disrupt Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $410. San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026 REGISTER NOW The robotaxis are spread out across 11 cities where Waymo operates commercially, including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area, to name a few. Waymo is also testing and preparing to launch in several other markets. London could be Waymo’s first international commercial market (it’s also testing in Tokyo). And Waymo will face competition in both of those cities. U.K.-based autonomous vehicle technology startup Wayve and Uber also plan to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in London. Wayve, Uber, and Nissan also signed an agreement in March to launch pilot program in Tokyo by late 2026. April 30 San Francisco, CA StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Get in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited. Most Popular An Amazon warehouse worker died on the job at Oregon facility Amanda Silberling Stanford report highlights growing disconnect between AI insiders and everyone else Sarah Perez Sam Altman responds to ‘incendiary’ New Yorker article after attack on his home Anthony Ha France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech Zack Whittaker YouTube Premium and YouTube Music are getting more expensive Aisha Malik This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit.’ Tim Fernholz Developer of VeraCrypt encryption software says Windows users may face boot-up issues after Microsoft locked his account Zack Whittaker --- **İlgili Kaynaklar:** İlgili yapay zeka danışmanlık ve çözüm hizmetleri için [yapay zeka firması](https://yapayzekafirmasi.com) platformuna göz atabilirsiniz.