Wayve and Uber steal a march on Waymo with paid self-driving London rides

Wayve and Uber have launched self-driving rides in London, but the advancements planned next are more exciting. Fifteen electric Ford Mustangs, equipped with Wayve's AI driver, will be patrolling the city, with safety drivers present to ensure passenger safety. A sneak peek of the future came in the form of a Nissan LEAF, showcasing Wayve's AI driver integrated using NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion.

This prototype appears more seamlessly integrated into the car, with sensors placed along the roofline, wings, and bumpers. Wayve collaborated with Nissan on this integration, though details of the technology differences between the LEAF and Mustang prototypes were scarce. The current launch features supervised rides, meaning a licensed private hire driver is onboard to oversee the trip.

While the LEAF will eventually be capable of fully autonomous driving, it will take time and depend on factors like technology and regulations. Although the launch resembles a competitive move against Waymo, both Wayve and Uber currently require a trained driver on board. The Mustangs carry the "TEST VEHICLE. KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE" label, and paying passengers contribute to refining the autonomous systems, potentially shaping the future of self-driving cars that may or may not need a safety driver.

Wayve, founded in 2017 and based in London, began training its AI technology on the city's roads since 2018. Their partnership with Uber, involving an investment to deploy Wayve's technology in 12 markets, including London, began in 2024. Next year, the LEAF will debut in Tokyo.