Uber and Wayve say Wayve received London private hire vehicle licenses for supervised robotaxis ahead of a full rollout; Waymo plans to offer robotaxis in 2026 (Natalie Lung/Bloomberg)

London has granted Wayve's electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles permission for supervised Uber rides, with a licensed human driver required to remain behind the wheel. Transport for London (TfL) approved the vehicles after reviewing them against their policy and safety standards. Wayve's AI Driver system, paired with cameras and radar, allows the cars to handle the driving while a trained TfL-licensed private-hire driver is on hand to take control if necessary.

The approval comes after Uber already holds a TfL operator license, and the onboard drivers will possess private-hire licenses. The approval paves the way for the companies to offer autonomous rides in London later this summer. Wayve's vehicles will be among the first to operate under the UK government's automated vehicle trialling code, which mandates a safety driver ready to override the vehicle and responsible for safe operation, even when the automated system is driving.

Wayve plans to introduce a service with real passengers before offering a fully driverless experience. This move positions Wayve and Uber between road testing and fully driverless deployment, offering supervised autonomous rides in London. London's passenger services will still require a licensed driver, while other markets, like Singapore, have already introduced autonomous passenger services.