Waymo Announces Expansion to London

7 hours ago 1

Building a new way forward, for the capital of the UK

London is a city of unparalleled history, vibrant culture, and a complex urban landscape

We believe autonomous technology can complement and enhance London’s world-class transportation network. We can help improve air quality, reduce congestion, and make getting around safer and more accessible. Our journey here is a commitment to a shared future.

A vision for London

Safer journeys
The Waymo Driver never gets distracted or tired, providing a consistent level of safety to help reduce human-driven vehicle-related collisions.
Read more about our safety methodologies and research here.
A more sustainable future
Our fully-electric vehicles contribute to cleaner air, helping London to meet its ambitious environmental goals.
Enhanced accessibility
We can increase independence and expand mobility access for people who cannot or do not drive due to disability.
Traffic efficiency
The Waymo Driver navigates traffic with confidence using its 360° sight (lidar, cameras, radar) and AI to predict every move, seeing hundreds of metres away.

Thank you! You’re all set.

Thank you for following us on our journey. We’re excited to share more about our company and our progress as we work to build the World’s Most Experienced Driver™.

Our experience

78% fewer injury causing collisions
compared to a human driving the same distance in the cities where we operate in the U.S.
15+ major US cities
where we operate, including publicly available services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and more.
100+ million miles on public roads

Today, the Waymo Driver provides hundreds of thousands of weekly trips to satisfied riders across five major U.S. cities, driving millions of miles per week without a human behind the wheel. Riders love the clean and consistent experience we provide, while the data to date demonstrates we’re improving road safety in the cities where we operate.

Learn more

faqs

faqs
- When and where will you be driving?
  We will soon begin conducting extensive trials of Waymo’s technology as part of our mapping and safety validation work across select boroughs in London, including Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, City of Westminster, and the City of London.
  
  We are not yet offering commercial rides, but our testing hours typically run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to ensure our technology can safely handle all of London’s road conditions.
- Why are you in my neighbourhood?
  If you see a Waymo vehicle in your borough, it is likely because we are mapping and validating our technology in your specific area. We aim to gather data across the widest possible range of London’s unique street layouts and driving conditions to ensure the Waymo Driver is robust and comfortable for future operation.
- When can I try one?
  We are working hard to bring fully autonomous ride-hailing to London as soon as we can. The best way to stay informed about our expansion and service launch is to download the Waymo app and register your interest. We will notify you as soon as our commercial service becomes available in your area.
- Why is the steering wheel on the left side (left-hand drive)?
  We are currently using our existing fleet of specially-equipped Jaguar I-PACE vehicles that were originally built for our US operations, where drivers sit on the left. The Waymo Driver—our fully autonomous system—does not require a human to operate the controls. However, our Autonomous Specialists are on board during these early trials to monitor the system, and they are trained to operate a left-hand drive vehicle safely on UK roads, and with all the rules and regulations of the roads in the UK regulations.
- What is the purpose of manual driving?
  Experience is the best teacher. Waymo drives on public roads to introduce and refine its autonomous driving technology in real-world conditions, enabling it to adapt to the specific nuances of each city’s roadways.
- Are you filming what's around the vehicle?
  Our vehicles are equipped with a suite of sensors—including cameras, lidar, and radar—that continuously perceive the world around the vehicle. This is essential for the Waymo Driver to safely navigate its surroundings, spot things like cyclists and lorries, and obey all traffic signals. This data is used solely to develop and validate our safety-critical autonomous driving technology.
- What kind of experience/background do the autonomous specialists have?
  Our autonomous specialists who are present in the vehicle during testing are highly trained professionals. They often have a background in professional driving or vehicle operations, combined with technical expertise in software and system troubleshooting. They undergo rigorous internal training and certification to understand autonomous system fundamentals, safety protocols, and emergency procedures.
- Where can I find more information about Waymo and stay up-to-date?
  You can stay up-to-date with our latest news and expansion plans by visiting the official Waymo website, subscribing to our blog (Waypoint), and following our official social media channels. You can also download the Waymo app and sign up for updates to be notified when we launch our commercial service.