Uber and Wayve Win First London Robotaxi Licenses

Transport for London granted private hire vehicle licenses to 15 electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with Wayve autonomous driving software.

The decision makes Uber and UK startup Wayve the first operators to secure regulatory approval to offer self-driving taxi rides to paying passengers in London.

Credit: businesswire

Selected passengers among 100,000 Londoners on an Uber interest list will receive invitations to book rides later this summer.

A licensed private hire driver will occupy the driver seat during every trip to oversee operations and take manual control if needed.

Sarah Gates, vice president of global affairs and assurance at Wayve, stated:

"This licence is an important step towards giving Londoners the chance to experience autonomous driving technology."

"The responsible deployment of these vehicles will bring us safer, cleaner and quieter streets, and we're proud to continue working alongside regulators, communities and the public as we take the next steps towards making autonomous rides a reality in the capital."

The licensing completes Transport for London's "triple-lock" policy requirement for private hire operations.

Under this rule, the booking operator, the driver, and the vehicle must each hold matching licenses issued by the same city authority.

Inspectors verified that Wayve's modified vehicles, equipped with AI software, six exterior cameras, and radar, meet municipal safety standards.

Transport for London confirmed it will monitor vehicle deployment continuously and retain powers to intervene if passenger safety is compromised.

A spokesperson for Transport for London stated:

"Safety is our top priority. Any new vehicle licensed to carry passengers on London's roads must align with our Vision Zero goal of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries from collisions on London's streets by 2041."

The license approval gives Uber and Wayve an operational lead over international competitors preparing rollouts in the capital.

Alphabet's Waymo and Chinese technology firm Baidu continue testing autonomous fleets in London under non-passenger trial arrangements.

Baidu started public road testing in the borough of Brent alongside ride-hailing app Freenow, targeting passenger launches in 2027.

Waymo continues testing a fleet of 100 vehicles in London, aiming for passenger trials later this year.

The GMB union, representing private hire drivers across London, raised opposition to the license decision.

Union representatives raised concerns regarding driver job losses, collision liability, and long-term employment shifts.

Matthew Wright, GMB regional organiser, stated:

"This is a worrying development for our private hire driver members. We can't go charging ahead with new technologies without considering the implications of autonomous vehicles on all parties."

"For passengers, driverless cars cannot replace the knowledge, experience, and human connection that a skilled driver offers. GMB urges TfL to proceed with extreme caution."

Fully driverless operations without human safety drivers require a separate regulatory tier under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024.

Uber and Wayve must apply for an Automated Passenger Services permit from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to remove human safety drivers from the vehicles.

Uber reported second-quarter gross bookings of $58.02 billion today, along with plans to spend over $10 billion on autonomous technology developments.

Wayve continues integration projects with automakers, including Nissan, for consumer vehicles.