Uber and Wayve Win First London Robotaxi Licences

The approval marks a new phase in a global race to bring autonomous taxis to London, which is expected to become one of the first cities where American and Chinese technology firms compete on the same roads. Uber and Wayve are moving quickly to stay ahead of Google-owned Waymo and Apollo Go, its Chinese equivalent from the internet company Baidu. Wayve, co-founded by the New Zealand-born entrepreneur Alex Kendall, has tested its technology on London's busy streets since 2018, always with safety drivers present. Uber abandoned its own self-driving programme in 2020 and now works with specialist partners around the world. TfL said experts had assessed Wayve's modifications to the cars and confirmed they met the required safety standards.

Reactions have been mixed. Sarah Gates, Wayve's vice-president for global affairs, called the licences "an important step" towards safer, cleaner and quieter streets, while Uber described the moment as a "key milestone". However, the GMB union, which represents thousands of private hire drivers, called the decision "a worrying development" and demanded support for drivers whose jobs may disappear. TfL stressed that safety remains its top priority, pointing to its goal of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries on London's roads by 2041. Before removing human drivers entirely, Uber and Wayve must win separate approval from the government's Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Meanwhile, Wayve is also working with the carmakers Nissan and Stellantis, and Uber plans to invest more than $10 billion in autonomous vehicles.