Uber has launched robotaxi rides in London through a partnership with British autonomous vehicle firm Wayve, marking the first such service in the UK capital. Customers requesting an UberX, Uber Comfort or Uber Electric journey may now be matched with a self-driving Ford Mustang Mach-E, though a human supervisor must remain behind the wheel at all times under the terms of Uber's newly granted licence.

Uber secured its licence to operate autonomous vehicles in London only last month, with regulations currently requiring a human driver present in a supervisory role; fully driverless operation is likely some way off. Riders will be alerted before an autonomous vehicle is dispatched, giving them the option of a conventional car instead, and fares remain the same as standard rates, though tipping prompts are removed (passengers can still tip via Trip History). The move extends Uber's existing US robotaxi operations in cities including Dallas, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Austin, and the Wayve partnership will continue, with a further tie-up planned to bring Nissan autonomous vehicles to Tokyo.