Waymo launches robotaxi service in London

Waymo, Google’s driverless car division, announced that it will expand its robotaxi operations to London.

It will become the first European city to support an autonomous ride-hailing service, with the first vehicles becoming available in the coming weeks.

Waymo is the world’s leading robotaxi service, with a fleet of 1,500 driverless vehicles serving Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco in the United States.

Initial expansion into international markets took place through testing grounds in Tokyo; The launch in London is expected to be the first in the European expansion.

“Waymo makes roads safer and transportation more accessible where we operate,” said Waymo CEO Tekedra Mawakana.

“We have demonstrated how we can scale fully autonomous ride-hailing responsibly and we look forward to spreading the benefits of our technology across the UK.”

The first cars in the UK will come with human safety drivers behind the wheel, but Waymo hopes to offer fully autonomous rides by 2026, working with London’s Department for Transport and Transport.

“I am delighted that Waymo plans to bring its services to London next year as part of our proposed pilot,” said Heidi Alexander, secretary of state for transport.

“Increasing [autonomous vehicle] The sector will bring jobs, investment and opportunities to the UK, as well as increasing accessible transport options.

“Cutting-edge investments like this will help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in new technology and lead national renewal that delivers real change in our communities.”

A recent report from market research firm IDTechEx noted that no robotaxi services have yet turned a profit, but this is expected to change as operations expand.

The authors predict that revenue from robotaxi software will grow more than 1,000-fold over the next 20 years, reaching $136 billion by 2046.

Regulatory challenges, technical challenges, and public perception of the technology may affect whether this prediction comes true.

“Robotaxis is still in its extremely early stages,” the report stated. “As companies try to reach tens of thousands and potentially millions, any small mistake or delay can be extremely dangerous.”