// THE VERGE — MONDO
Uber beats Waymo as first to launch robotaxis in London
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The cars have no lidar and no geofence, but still will have human safety drivers for the initial launch.
The cars have no lidar and no geofence, but still will have human safety drivers for the initial launch.
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Uber beat out Waymo in launching a commercial robotaxi service in London, the city’s first. The vehicles use autonomous driving tech developed by Wayve, a UK-based startup, and will initially feature safety drivers behind the wheel.
The launch is a milestone for Uber, which has been plotting a UK launch with Wayve for several years. In beating Waymo to the punch, it allows Uber to set the standard for the robotaxi experience for thousands of Londoners. It’s also an early test of whether there’s appetite for driverless ridehailing beyond the US and China, where most of the world’s robotaxis are currently clustered. (There’s a smattering in the Middle East, too.)
London-based Uber customers who want to try out these new robot-controlled cars can indicate their preference in the app’s settings. When booking a ride through UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Electric, riders may be paired with a Wayve-developed autonomous vehicle, but it’s not a guarantee. Wayve is using Ford Mustang Mach-Es for its fleet, followed by the Nissan Leaf in the future.