London passengers can now catch a ride in a self-driving car, as Uber launches the city's first commercial robotaxi service. By starting service now, Uber has beaten rival company Waymo to become the first to offer autonomous rides to Londoners.
The new service runs using self-driving technology from Wayve, an artificial intelligence startup based in the UK. When people book a trip using UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Electric in London, they might be paired with one of Wayve’s autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles.
For safety, human safety drivers licensed by Transport for London will remain in the driver's seat for now. They will monitor the car's performance without controlling the driving, and Uber plans to slowly remove them over time until the cars are completely driverless.
Unlike many self-driving systems that require expensive laser sensors called lidar and pre-made high-definition maps, Wayve’s system relies on cameras, radar, and AI software. This allows the cars to learn and adapt to new roads and weather conditions without being restricted to specific mapped areas.
This launch is an important test to see if passengers outside the US and China are ready for autonomous ride-hailing. Waymo has promised to launch its own service in London before the end of the year, while Lyft is testing self-driving rides with Chinese tech firm Baidu.