Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company backed by Google parent Alphabet, has confirmed its plans to launch its self-driving ride-hailing service in London in 2026, marking a major step forward in the rollout of autonomous transport in the UK.
Waymo already operates fully driverless services in US cities such as Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco and will work with fleet partner Moove to launch a service in the UK capital using Jaguar Land Rover’s electric I-Pace vehicles equipped with proprietary Waymo Driver technology.
The move puts Waymo in direct competition with major ride-hailing rivals Uber and Lyft, both of which are preparing to launch their own autonomous services in the UK next year. Uber is working with London-based AI company Wayve, while Lyft has teamed up with Chinese internet giant Baidu to expand into both the UK and Germany.
“We’re excited to bring the reliability, security and magic of Waymo to Londoners,” said Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana. “We’ve shown how to responsibly scale fully autonomous driving services and we can’t wait to extend the benefits of our technology to the UK.”
The company is already working with UK regulators to obtain the necessary approvals under the government’s proposed pilot program for autonomous vehicles (AVs). Waymo employs engineering teams in both London and Oxford and has long-standing research and development relationships with the UK.
British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander welcomed the announcement, calling it a victory for innovation, mobility and economic growth.
“I am pleased that Waymo intends to bring its services to London next year,” she said. “Strengthening the AV sector will improve accessible transport options while bringing jobs, investment and opportunities to the UK.”
Autonomous vehicles have come under scrutiny around the world following incidents early in their deployment, but British safety advocates cautiously welcomed Waymo’s expansion, citing strong data on safety performance.
“Autonomous vehicles like Waymo have the potential to significantly improve road safety by eliminating the need for a human driver,” said James Gibson, managing director of Road Safety GB. “Waymo vehicles have demonstrated far safer performance compared to human drivers over more than 100 million autonomous miles.”
Waymo’s launch in the UK sets the stage for a competitive London market where multinational ride-hailing providers will compete to scale autonomous transport.
Analysts say the success of the initial pilots will depend on public acceptance, pricing, regulatory clarity and the ability of AVs to operate safely in London’s complex urban environment.
With 2026 shaping up to be a pivotal year for autonomous mobility in the UK, London could become one of the first major cities in Europe to see driverless ride-sharing services deployed on a large scale – provided regulators, operators and the public remain vigilant about safety and economic impact.
