Fully autonomous technology developer Waymo continues to expand the reach of its test fleet as well as bona fide customer rides without a driver present. This morning, Waymo shared plans to expand across the pond to London, with public robotaxi rides expected sooner than you might think.
2025 has already been a notable year for autonomous rideshare developer Waymo, as it continues to expand across the United States. This year alone, the Alphabet, Inc. subsidiary began offering customer rides in Austin, Texas, in addition to expansion plans for other cities such as Dallas and Nashville.
In late 2024, Waymo also announced plans to begin testing its robotaxis in Tokyo, Japan, marking the company’s first international expansion. Today, Waymo shared plans for global market growth in the opposite direction, laying the groundwork for robotaxi operations in London as early as next year.
Waymo to offer public robotaxi rides in London in 2026
According to a release from Waymo this morning, the company has begun plans to expand its driverless robotaxi operations to London, laying the initial groundwork for certifications to start commercial operations by 2026. The company said it will be working with existing fleet partner Moove, which will assist with London operations. Per Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana:
We’re thrilled to bring the reliability, safety and magic of Waymo to Londoners. 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.
Over the coming months, Waymo plans to test its technology on London roads, seeking permission from local leaders. Once that happens, Waymo will be able to begin offering the public robotaxi services using all-electric I-Pace vehicles from UK automaker Jaguar Land Rover. When available, Londoners will be able to hail a ride via the Waymo app.
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