Autonomous driving firm Waymo has announced plans to launch its fully driverless ride-hailing service in London next year, marking the company’s first international expansion beyond the United States.
Working with fleet operations partner Moove, Waymo will begin preparations in the coming months and work with local and national authorities to secure regulatory approval. The service will operate through the Waymo app, joining London’s existing network of public transport, taxis, and shared mobility options.
“We’re thrilled to bring the reliability, safety and magic of Waymo to Londoners,” said Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana. “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.”
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has logged more than 100 million fully autonomous miles in the U.S. and provided 10 million paid rides. Its vehicles are based on the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE, developed in partnership with Jaguar Land Rover.
The company says its autonomous vehicles have been involved in five times fewer injury crashes and twelve times fewer pedestrian incidents than human drivers — results that align with London’s Vision Zero target to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries.
U.K. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander welcomed the announcement, calling it “a cutting-edge investment” that will support jobs, improve road safety and enhance transport accessibility.
Waymo says its expansion aims to make roads safer, improve mobility for underserved groups, and offer greater independence for people with disabilities.
The post Waymo to launch fully driverless taxi service in London next year first appeared on The Apple Post.
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