Wayve and Uber robotaxis in London: how to get a ride
Uber and Wayve began supervised autonomous rides in London on 3 September 2026, using 15 electric Ford Mustang Mach-Es. Here is how to be matched with one, what it costs and where Waymo and Tesla stand.
Quick answers
- Uber and Wayve launched supervised autonomous rides in London on 3 September 2026, the first autonomous passenger trips offered in the UK.
- Uber and Wayve have 15 licensed Wayve-equipped electric Ford Mustang Mach-E cars, each with a TfL-licensed private hire driver ready to take over.
- You can be matched with one when booking UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort at no extra cost, and can switch to a normal car before it arrives.
- More than 140,000 Londoners had opted in by launch, so the odds of a match are low with only 15 cars.
- Waymo, which had targeted September for driverless paid rides, now confirms only a launch by the end of the year, and says it needs final government regulations first.
Uber and Wayve launched supervised autonomous rides in London on 3 September 2026, the first autonomous passenger trips offered in the UK (Wayve). Fifteen electric Ford Mustang Mach-E cars are licensed, each with a licensed driver ready to take over, so this is not yet a driverless taxi. For Londoners it is the first chance to ride in a car steered by AI, at no extra cost compared with a normal Uber. For London taxis, see our report on the new LEVC black cab due in 2027.
What has launched in London?
The cars are all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-Es fitted with the Wayve AI Driver and surround sensors. The service is supervised: a TfL-licensed private hire driver sits in the driver’s seat and can take control (Uber). The operators won TfL private hire licences on 5 August, which cover the cars as ordinary private hire vehicles and do not permit driverless operation (Bloomberg).
Coverage says rides can go anywhere in London but airport journeys are excluded (Taxi Point). London is the first of 12 planned Uber and Wayve markets.
| Detail | Launch position |
|---|---|
| Launch date | 3 September 2026 |
| Vehicle | Ford Mustang Mach-E, all-electric |
| Vehicles licensed | 15 |
| Person at the wheel | TfL-licensed private hire driver |
| Opted-in Londoners | More than 140,000 |
| Excluded | Trips from London’s airports |
How do you book a Wayve robotaxi?
You do not book one directly. Request an UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort ride and, if you have opted in, you may be matched with a Wayve car. The fare is shown upfront with no extra cost for a Wayve ride, and you can switch to a non-autonomous car before it arrives.
The limit is supply. With 15 cars and more than 140,000 people opted in, most requests will still be matched with a conventional driver. That is a sensible pace for a service that remains supervised, but do not expect an autonomous car on demand.
What does supervised mean?
Wayve’s system does the driving while the licensed driver watches and can intervene. A car with nobody in the driver’s seat needs further UK approvals, for example under the Automated Vehicles Act’s passenger services regime or the fast-tracked pilot scheme, so this is only a supervised first phase. For the wider picture on self-driving in the UK, see our EV tech and apps coverage. We explain the government’s proposals in our guide to the Automated Vehicles Act draft safety principles.
Where does Waymo stand?
Waymo has been the name most linked with London robotaxis. It had aimed for fully driverless commercial rides from as early as September 2026. A spokesperson has since said the only confirmed timeline is a launch “by the end of the year” (TransportXtra).
Waymo has moved from manual mapping to autonomous testing in London with trained specialists behind the wheel (Zag Daily). It says it cannot run fully autonomously until the government finalises regulations for the passenger pilot scheme. Moove is its UK fleet partner.
| Wayve and Uber | Waymo | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Running since 3 September 2026 | Launch confirmed only “by the end of the year” |
| Person at the wheel | Licensed driver, supervised | Aims for fully driverless |
| Booking | Uber app, no extra cost | Not yet announced |
| Needs from government | Licences granted | Final trial regulations |
What about Tesla?
Tesla runs no robotaxi service in London, although its robotaxi app has been rolled out to more countries (Not a Tesla App). Its UK driver-assistance story is separate; see our report on the FSD vote delay in Europe and the UK and our guide to in-car technology.
What this means for you
If you live in London and want to try it, open the Uber app and opt in, then book an UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort ride as usual. Treat a match as a bonus: with 15 cars, it will be rare. You pay no extra for the Wayve car, and you can decline the autonomous car before it arrives.
Outside London nothing changes yet. A driverless taxi with nobody at the wheel depends on final government regulations, and Waymo’s own commitment is the end of 2026. We will report when either company confirms a date.
How we test and where our numbers come from
Range figures are official WLTP combined values taken from manufacturer UK specification pages, with real-world estimates drawn from independent comparative testing. Prices are UK list prices at the time of the latest update. Tax, grant and charging-scheme figures come from GOV.UK and HMRC publications. We re-check every guide when pricing, specification or policy changes. Last checked 6 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a Wayve robotaxi in London?
Book an UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort ride in the Uber app. If you have opted in, you may be matched with a Wayve Ford Mustang Mach-E. Matching is not guaranteed, because only 15 vehicles were licensed at launch.
Is there a driver in the car?
Yes. The service is supervised, so a TfL-licensed private hire driver sits in the driver's seat ready to take over. Fully driverless rides, with nobody at the wheel, are not part of this launch and the current TfL licences do not permit them.
Does a Wayve robotaxi ride cost more?
No. Riders matched with a Wayve car pay no extra cost, with the fare shown upfront. You can switch to a non-autonomous ride before the car arrives.
Can I take a Wayve robotaxi to or from Heathrow?
Not from the airports. Reports of the launch say rides can go anywhere in London, but airport journeys are excluded.
When will Waymo launch in London?
Waymo says only that it will launch by the end of 2026. It had earlier aimed for driverless commercial rides from as early as September, and says it cannot run fully autonomously until the government finalises its regulations for the passenger pilot scheme.
Sources and further reading
- wayve.aiWayvePrimary source referenced in this article.
- investor.uber.comWayve and Uber Launch First-Ever Autonomous Rides in the UKUber's release on matching, pricing and opt-out.
- bloomberg.comUber, Wayve Win Licenses for Supervised Robotaxis in LondonTfL private hire licences granted in August 2026.
- taxi-point.co.ukUber and Wayve launch first supervised autonomous passenger rides in LondonLaunch coverage from the UK taxi and private hire trade.
- transportxtra.comWaymo plans London robotaxi launch by end of 2026Waymo's revised timeline.
- zagdaily.comWaymo begins autonomous driving phase in LondonWaymo's move from manual mapping to autonomous testing.
- notateslaapp.comTesla Robotaxi App Now Available in Many More CountriesTesla's robotaxi app rollout; no London service.
EV Compared
The EV Compared editorial team tracks the UK electric vehicle market full time: new model launches, list prices, WLTP and real-world range, public charging tariffs and the tax rules that decide what an EV actually costs to run. Every guide is checked against manufacturer specifications and official GOV.UK figures, and updated whenever the numbers move.
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