Waymo, the autonomous driving firm backed by Alphabet, has announced it will bring its fully driverless robotaxi service to London in 2026. The Silicon Valley company currently operates successful self-driving taxis in San Francisco and four other US cities. However, the UK's path to widespread autonomous vehicles has been marked by previous promises that failed to materialise.
The UK government has signalled its intent to accelerate the introduction of driverless cars, with regulated public trials potentially beginning as early as spring 2026. But rules are not yet fully established, and initial testing may still require a safety driver. British firm Wayve, in partnership with Uber, has also announced plans to develop public-road trials of Level 4 autonomous vehicles in London, though with a more cautious timeline.
Previous announcements have raised hopes that later faded. In 2018, Addison Lee promised robotaxis by 2021 working with Oxford University scientists. In 2017, Nissan tested a self-driving Leaf in Beckton, east London, and then-transport secretary Chris Grayling predicted self-driving cars would be on the market within four years. A pilot of autonomous pods in Milton Keynes in 2015, overseen by business secretary Vince Cable, aimed to carry passengers for £2 a ride but never scaled up.
In contrast, autonomous taxis are already a reality abroad. In San Francisco, Waymo's white Jaguar iPace vehicles have become a common sight since their full launch in June 2024, hailed via smartphone app with no human behind the wheel. The vehicles have sparked both tourist interest and concerns about job displacement, with one Uber driver in the city estimating he has “about a year left in this job.”
Waymo's London announcement, while light on detail, signals a significant step forward. The company said it intends to offer rides without a human driver to Londoners and visitors in 2026. Yet the history of autonomous driving in the UK suggests that the road to full autonomy may still have many turns ahead.
