The ride-hailing app has said in the recent past the pilot would be the first of its kind for the company, as it allow users to take Uber rides without a safety driver present — a standard of autonomous driving described by the industry as “Level 4.”
Self-driving vehicles have become a common sight in San Francisco, where Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) autonomous driving venture Waymo offers a commercial ride-hailing service with its driverless cars. However, other global players are racing to roll out so-called “robotaxi” services of their own.
Andrew MacDonald, president and chief operating officer of Uber, said the partnership with Wayve would move the company a step closer toward its vision “to make autonomy a safe and reliable option for riders everywhere.”
“This is a defining moment for UK autonomy,” Wayve CEO and co-founder Alex Kendall said in a statement. “With Uber and a global OEM partner, we’re preparing to put our AI Driver technology into real service on the streets of London.”
UBER shares gained 49 cents to $87.61.
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