Waymo announces ambitious timeline for London launch of its driverless taxis
Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, has announced its intention to launch a fully driverless ride-hailing service in London by the fourth quarter of 2026.
The ambitious timeline was revealed during a briefing in the capital by Ben Loewenstein, Waymo’s head of UK and European policy and government affairs.
The company had previously stated a 2026 launch without specifying a quarter.
The move marks a significant expansion for Waymo, which has been steadily expanding its operations in the U.S. despite strict regulations and the high cost of developing the technology. The decision to expand internationally comes as artificial intelligence continues to increase investor interest in the sector.
The British government has expressed a strong desire to position the UK as a global leader in autonomous vehicle technology. It is actively developing a regulatory framework to ensure the safe deployment of such services on Britain’s roads. Officials estimate the sector could create 38,000 jobs and contribute up to £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035.
Waymo’s entry into the London market will intensify competition, particularly from Uber-backed startup Wayve, which is expected to launch its own service in the city this year. Meanwhile, rival Tesla, led by Elon Musk, deployed its first driverless taxis in the US last June, estimating that millions of its robotaxis will be operational by the end of 2026.
Earlier this week, Waymo officially launched in its first 60-square-mile service area in Miami, Florida, with plans to expand to Miami International Airport soon.
“We are excited to bring the reliability, safety and magic of Waymo to Londoners,” said Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana. “Waymo is making roads safer and transport more accessible where we operate. We’ve shown how we can scale fully autonomous ride-hailing responsibly and we look forward to spreading the benefits of our technology across the UK.”
