Waymo is expanding to London, the self-driving vehicle developer announced on Wednesday. The Google sister company aims to start service next year, when the UK government plans to allow autonomous vehicles to begin operating on its roads in limited pilot programs. Waymo says it’s working with the government to receive the necessary permissions for its launch.
This is only Waymo’s second venture outside the United States—though could be its first international robotaxi service. The company has been testing robotaxis in Tokyo since April, where it works with Japanese taxi company Nihon Kotsu, whose drivers are helping Waymo map and collect driving data from the city, and Japanese ride-hail firm GO. But the company won’t say when, or if, it plans to launch autonomous taxis in Japan.
London could prove the company’s biggest challenge yet. Unlike more car-oriented cities in the US, London’s streets are more winding and narrow, the city’s layout a legacy of its pre-Roman and medieval history. “We will take the same rigorous approach to testing and deploying in London as we have in other cities before offering rides to the public,” Waymo spokesperson Ethan Teicher wrote in an email. He says Waymo’s experience in Tokyo will help its software drive in London.
Waymo operates paid taxi service in five US cities: Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta. (It operates the latter two services through the Uber app.) It has announced plans to launch in Dallas, Miami, Washington, DC, and Nashville next year. It has also received a permit to test autonomous vehicles in New York City, though must do so with a safety driver behind the wheel. The company says it has provided more than ten million paid rides since it picked up its first customers in 2020.
Waymo’s move follows the UK government’s announcement this spring that it would accelerate by more than a year its plans to allow autonomous vehicle tech on public roads. The government now aims to begin permitting robotaxis to operate in small numbers starting in 2026.
Government officials intend to spend about a year studying the data those vehicles produce before allowing companies to more widely launch driverless taxi services in the second half 2027. Homegrown British autonomous vehicle developer Wayve has already announced it will work with Uber to operate robotaxis in London.
UK Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said in a statement that she was “delighted” about Waymo’s plans. “Boosting the [autonomous vehicle] sector will increase accessible transport options alongside bringing jobs, investment, and opportunities to the UK,” she said.
Waymo says it will work with fleet operations firm Moove to run an eventual London fleet. Moove will help manage and dispatch Waymo’s electric ride-hail vehicles, and will maintain and operate the service’s maintenance and charging depots. Moove is also working with Waymo in Phoenix, and eventually, Miami.
