Robotaxi Atlas

Lit clusters: cities with public driverless rides. Rings: testing or announced.

Can I ride a robotaxi in London?

No driverless rides yet. Wayve runs rides with a trained operator on board, or for invited riders only. Apollo Go (Baidu) and Waymo are testing.

Status
Safety driver
Operators
Wayve, Apollo Go (Baidu), Waymo, Pony.ai
Last checked

Operators in London

  • Wayve
    Safety driver

    Since Sep 3, 2026: supervised rides launched for Uber riders. Book in: Uber app.

  • Apollo Go (Baidu)
    TestingReported

    Since Jul 28, 2026: road testing began, with no riders. Book in: Lyft app. Announced for: Uber app.

  • Waymo
    Testing

    Since Apr 14, 2026: Waymo began autonomous driving with specialists behind the wheel. Book in: Waymo app.

  • Pony.ai
    Announced

    No rides yet. Book in: Uber app.

What's happening in London

The only robotaxi rides open to the public in London are supervised ones from Wayve. Since Sep 3, 2026, Uber riders can be matched with a Wayve car that has a TfL-licensed private hire driver on board. The first fleet is 15 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles, and Tech Times reported in August 2026 that TfL licensed up to 15 of them as private hire vehicles. Wayve says the cars are matched on UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort requests 'at no extra cost' and can go anywhere within London except the airports.

Waymo is not carrying riders in London. It began autonomous driving there on Apr 14, 2026, with trained specialists behind the wheel, and says it is not yet offering commercial rides. The UK's Automated Passenger Services permit regulations came into force on May 15, 2026. Under them, a launch needs approval from the Department for Transport (DfT) and, in London, consent from Transport for London (TfL). In its 'Vision for London' post on Sep 24, 2026, Waymo said it was ready to work with London to earn that consent. The UK rules page has the detail.

Two Chinese operators are lining up. Apollo Go began road testing in the borough of Brent with Freenow by Lyft on Jul 28, 2026, with safety operators and no riders. TechCrunch and Electrek reported that public rides are expected in 2027, subject to approval. Apollo Go also has an Uber deal for London, but TechCrunch reported that as of June 2026 those tests had not begun. Pony.ai and Uber said on Oct 8, 2026 that Gen-7 testing would start 'in the coming weeks', with no launch date. In San Francisco, Waymo cars run with nobody in the driver's seat. London today offers a supervised Wayve ride on Uber.

Airport

  • LHRHeathrow and other London airports

    Wayve: Not served. Airports are outside the service area.

Rules that apply here

  • England rules: The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 received royal assent on May 20, 2024. Regulations for Automated Passenger Services permits (SI 2026/439) took effect May 15, 2026. Permits need DfT approval and, in London, TfL consent. The full Act is due to take effect in the second half of 2027.

Timeline

  1. Uber and Pony.ai announced Gen-7 robotaxi testing in London in the coming weeks. Source
  2. Waymo published its 'Vision for London' and said it needs DfT approval and TfL consent to launch. Source
  3. Supervised Wayve rides launched on Uber in London. Source
  4. TfL licensed up to 15 Wayve Mach-E vehicles as private hire vehicles. Reported. Source
  5. Apollo Go began supervised road testing in Brent with Freenow by Lyft. Public rides are expected in 2027. Source
  6. The UK Automated Passenger Services permit regulations (SI 2026/439) came into force. Source
  7. Waymo began autonomous driving in London with trained specialists behind the wheel. Source
  8. Waymo announced plans for driverless rides in London in 2026 with fleet partner Moove. Source

London robotaxi questions

Is Waymo in London yet?

Waymo is testing in London but is not offering rides. It needs Department for Transport approval and TfL consent under the UK's APS permit scheme before it can launch.

Can I book a self-driving Uber in London?

Uber riders in London can be matched with a supervised Wayve car on UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort. A TfL-licensed private hire driver stays in the car.

Do London robotaxis go to Heathrow?

Wayve's supervised London rides on Uber exclude Heathrow and the other London airports.

When will Apollo Go and Pony.ai launch in London?

Neither has a firm date. Public Apollo Go rides in London are expected in 2027, subject to approval, as reported by TechCrunch, and Pony.ai has only announced testing with Uber.

Sources

  1. Wayve: Wayve and Uber Launch First-Ever Autonomous Rides in the UK, Sep 3, 2026
  2. Uber Investor Relations: Wayve and Uber Launch First-Ever Autonomous Rides in the UK, Sep 3, 2026
  3. TechRepublic: Uber Wayve robotaxi London, Sep 7, 2026
  4. Tech Times: Wayve's Mapless AI Clears London Licensing, Aug 5, 2026
  5. TechCrunch: Uber is building an autonomous vehicle empire, and here's every company it's using to do it, Aug 1, 2026
  6. TechCrunch: Lyft and Baidu enter London's robotaxi battleground as testing begins, Jul 28, 2026
  7. Electrek: Baidu's Apollo Go begins London robotaxi testing with Uber and Lyft, Jul 28, 2026
  8. Waymo: Waymo Updates
  9. Waymo: Waymo in London
  10. Waymo: Our Vision for London, Sep 24, 2026
  11. ZAG Daily: Waymo plans September London launch as remote operations come into focus, Jan 29, 2026
  12. TechCrunch: Uber and China's Pony.ai plan to launch robotaxis in London, Oct 8, 2026
  13. Gasgoo: Pony.ai Officially Announces Expansion into London, Oct 9, 2026

"Reported" means one news report that the operator or a regulator hasn't confirmed yet.

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