Waymo plans to launch a robotaxi service in London in 2026

Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company, announced plans to launch a commercial robotaxi service in London in 2026, marking its second international expansion after Tokyo. The service will initially deploy all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles equipped with Waymo’s self-driving technology. The rollout will begin with human safety drivers behind the wheel, progressing to driverless testing and eventually allowing the public to hail robotaxis. The timing of the fully driverless service depends on the UK government’s approval process. Waymo will partner with Moove, a fleet operations company already active in Phoenix, to manage the London fleet. This move builds on Waymo’s existing UK presence, including its 2019 acquisition of Oxbotica, a UK startup specializing in self-driving simulation technology, and the establishment of an engineering hub in Oxford. Waymo has expanded its robotaxi operations across multiple U.S. cities such as Phoenix, Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, often collaborating with partners like Uber to