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robotaxi pioneer waymo plans to expand to London It’s the company’s latest step toward launching its driverless ride-hailing service internationally next year.
Waymo said Wednesday it will start testing its self-driving cars on London streets in the coming weeks — with a human “safety driver” behind the wheel — as it looks to win government approval for its services.
In a blog post, Waymo said it would “lay the groundwork” for its London service in the coming months. The company said it would “continue to engage with local and national leaders to secure the necessary permits for our commercial ride-hailing service.”
Waymo’s self-driving taxis are underway United States of America Over the years, and currently serving the cities of Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, atlanta And AustinThis year, the company took its first steps toward expanding internationally by teaming up with local partners in Japan for testing, though no launch date has been set for commercial service there.
The company started as a secret project within Google and then spun out from the tech giant.
Waymo will have to comply with new UK rules on self-driving cars that pave the way for autonomous vehicles to take to the country’s roads. They require self-driving cars to have a safety level “at least as high as that of careful and competent human drivers” and to meet rigorous safety checks.
The company will be able to participate in a pilot program for “small-scale” self-driving taxi and bus services, which the government is planning for spring 2026.
Waymo also must comply with the rules of Transport for London, the city’s transport authority, which oversees licensing for its famous traditional black cabs, as well as other taxi operators like Uber.