Waymo announces ambitious timeline for London launch of its driverless taxis

Waymo's entry into the London market will intensify competition, particularly with Uber-backed startup Wayve

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, has announced its intention to launch a fully driverless ride-hailing service in London by the fourth quarter of 2026.

This ambitious timeline was revealed by Ben Loewenstein, Waymo's head of policy and government affairs for the UK and Europe, during a briefing in the capital.

The company had previously indicated a 2026 launch without specifying a quarter.

The move marks a significant expansion for Waymo, which has steadily grown its operations in the United States despite stringent regulations and the high cost of developing the technology. Its decision to scale up internationally comes as artificial intelligence continues to fuel investor interest in the sector.

The company had previously indicated a 2026 launch without specifying a quarter (Getty)

The British government has expressed a strong desire to position the UK as a global leader in autonomous vehicle technology. It is actively developing a regulatory framework to ensure the safe deployment of such services on British roads. Officials estimate that the sector could generate 38,000 jobs and contribute up to £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035.

Waymo's entry into the London market will intensify competition, particularly with Uber-backed startup Wayve, which is expected to launch its own service in the city this year. Meanwhile, rival Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has predicted millions of its robotaxis will be operational by the end of 2026, having deployed its first driverless cabs in the United States last June.

Earlier this week, Waymo officially launched in Miami, Florida, across an initial 60-square-mile service area —with plans to expand to Miami International Airport soon.

“We’re thrilled to bring the reliability, safety and magic of Waymo to Londoners,” said Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana. “Waymo is making roads safer and transportation more accessible where we operate. We’ve demonstrated how to responsibly scale fully autonomous ride-hailing, and we can’t wait to expand the benefits of our technology to the United Kingdom. ”