Uber and the London-based technology firm Wayve have been granted the first minicab licences in London for self-driving taxis, with paid trips due to begin "later this summer" ahead of a full public launch. A human safety driver will remain behind the wheel initially, but the move marks a significant step in London becoming one of the first cities where American and Chinese autonomous vehicle developers, including Google's Waymo and Baidu's Apollo Go, could soon operate on the same streets.

Transport for London has issued 15 private hire vehicle licences for Ford Mustang Mach-E cars fitted with Wayve's AI driving software, cameras and radar, after confirming the vehicles met required safety standards. More than 100,000 Londoners are reportedly on the waiting list. Fully driverless operation will require separate approval from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, and TfL says it will monitor the vehicles closely, citing its Vision Zero goal of eliminating road deaths and serious injuries by 2041. Wayve has tested its technology on London roads since 2018, while Uber, having dropped its own self-driving programme in 2020, now partners with firms such as China's WeRide, which already runs driverless taxis in Abu Dhabi.