Waymo, the self-driving car technology company owned by Alphabet, has officially announced plans to launch a robotaxi service in London, UK, expected in 2026. This move marks Waymo's first major expansion into the European market, promising to reshape the urban transportation landscape and increase competition in the field of autonomous mobility.
Detailed plans in London
Waymo will begin testing its autonomous vehicles in the UK capital in the coming weeks, focusing on collecting data, fine-tuning the system for London's complex traffic conditions and completing the necessary regulatory approvals to begin commercial operations, the company announced.
“We have demonstrated the ability to responsibly scale fully autonomous ride-hailing and look forward to bringing these benefits to the UK,” said CEO Tekedra Mawakana. Waymo’s plans align with the UK government ’s early testing program, which sets out regulations that are expected to be fully implemented by 2027. The core requirement is that self-driving vehicles must meet minimum safety standards equivalent to a competent and careful human driver.
Waymo Driver and Fleet Technology
The foundation of Waymo's service is its "Waymo Driver" technology, a complex integrated system that includes high-resolution cameras, radar, and lidar sensors. Data from these sensors is processed by artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize the surrounding environment, predict the behavior of other vehicles, and make driving decisions without human intervention.
Currently, Waymo's core fleet is the Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV. Previously, the company used the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan from 2016 to 2023. Moving forward, Waymo is working with China's Geely Group to develop a dedicated robotaxi vehicle called the Zeekr RT.
Robotaxi race in Europe
Waymo is not the only company targeting the lucrative European market. Rival Lyft has previously announced plans to partner with Baidu to deploy robotaxis in the UK and Germany, also by 2026. Waymo’s presence, along with plans from Tesla and Chinese companies, shows that the race for autonomous driving technology is heating up on a global scale.
Waymo’s expansion is seen as a positive sign for the industry, but there are still concerns about safety. Recent accidents involving Tesla and Baidu self-driving cars have sparked controversy. In response, Waymo claims its technology can improve traffic safety. The company’s internal data shows that in its operating areas, there are 5 times fewer fatal crashes and 12 times fewer pedestrian crashes than with human-driven vehicles.
The future of urban transport
Originating from a Google project in 2009, Waymo has been commercializing its services in the US since 2018 and is currently operating in many major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin. Entering London is not only a strategic step in its globalization plan but also an important test of the adaptability of autonomous vehicle technology in one of the oldest and most complex traffic environments in the world .
Source: https://baonghean.vn/waymo-mang-dich-vu-robotaxi-den-london-vao-nam-2026-10308518.html
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