- TfL has granted Uber and Wayve 15 licenses to operate a driverless taxi service for Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles; the company will begin testing without passengers.
- Uber has added interest list status for a total of 100,000 Londoners who will be able to choose their ride preferences, after the company said it had entered the list of potential customers.
- To operate a robotaxi service without a driver, Uber and Wayve must obtain an automated passenger services permit from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.
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Uber and Wayve have received the first 15 licenses to operate a driverless taxi service in London for Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles with Wayve’s autonomous driving software, which uses surround cameras to scan the road. The licenses were issued by Transport for London (TfL), which said the technology meets all required safety standards without passengers.
Under the terms of the launch, the companies will begin testing without passengers: TfL-licensed vehicles will be able to operate in areas that are already approved by the regulator, so that the companies can test their autonomous driving program.
Uber and Wayve said that more than 100,000 Londoners have already registered interest in the service. Uber also added that, for its part, it will use its interest list to allow customers to choose their ride preferences, which will help the companies start testing.
With the new licenses, Uber and Wayve can begin testing their robotaxi service without a driver through a new automated passenger services permit, which requires the approval of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. TfL, for its part, said it is ready to monitor the safety of transport operations and that, without passengers, the service will be safer.
The material also notes that the UK plans to allow fully driverless ride-hailing services to operate on public roads by 2026, while the rollout is expected to be no earlier than 2027, following the passage of the Automated Vehicles Act of 2024. Why London is considering this plan and what companies are likely to be first: Alphabet-owned Waymo, which has already been running supervised robotaxis without drivers in the city.
Uber’s own publications also point to new financial results: the company’s gross bookings for the quarter were $58.02bn (£43bn), exceeding expectations, as the company said it expects the quarter’s gross bookings to be higher than currently forecast. The company also said that earnings per share — from 84 cents to 88 cents — will be higher than planned, with a target of $10bn for autonomous vehicles revenue in the coming year.