Waymo to Launch Robotaxi Services in London

Industry Insights from Next Move Strategy Consulting

Alphabet-owned Waymo is set to introduce its driverless ride-hailing services to London, marking its first venture into the European market. The move signifies a major milestone in Waymo’s global expansion, extending its reach beyond the United States and Japan into one of the world’s most complex urban environments.

Testing the Future of Mobility

In an official statement released on Wednesday, Waymo confirmed plans to begin test drives on London’s roads in the coming months, with human safety specialists behind the wheel during initial phases. Subject to regulatory approvals and collaboration with local authorities, the company aims to launch its commercial robotaxi service next year.

London represents Waymo’s second international city after Tokyo, where autonomous testing commenced earlier in 2025. This expansion underscores the company’s accelerating efforts to scale autonomous mobility across global markets.

Building on U.S. Momentum

Waymo’s European entry builds upon its strong operational base in the United States, where it currently runs commercial robotaxi services in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Austin, Texas. The company has also announced future rollouts in Miami and Washington, D.C., and obtained testing permits for New York City earlier this year.

In London, Waymo will deploy a fleet of Jaguar iPACE electric vehicles, each equipped with the company’s Waymo Driver autonomous technology. Supporting this operation, Waymo will collaborate with Moove, a vehicle-financing and fleet-maintenance partner that provides services such as cleaning, charging, and repair management.

Aligning with the U.K.’s Vision for Safer Roads

Waymo’s entry aligns closely with the U.K. government’s new framework encouraging commercial pilots of autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies. The framework, announced in June, aims to attract self-driving investments and accelerate AV adoption across the region.

London’s “Vision Zero” initiative, targeting the elimination of all transportation-related deaths and serious injuries by 2041, further supports this alignment. Waymo reports that its autonomous systems are involved in five times fewer injury-causing collisions — and twelve times fewer involving pedestrians — compared to human drivers, based on its internal data analysis.

Proven Performance and Expanding Capabilities

Globally, Waymo’s self-driving vehicles have logged 100 million fully autonomous miles and completed over 10 million paid rides to date. The company’s record highlights the scalability and maturity of its autonomous systems as it prepares to enter complex European markets.

Waymo operates under Alphabet’s “Other Bets” division, which reported $373 million in revenue and a $1.25 billion loss in the second quarter. Alphabet is scheduled to announce its third-quarter earnings on October 29.

A Competitive Landscape for Autonomous Mobility

The London launch will also place Waymo in direct competition with Wayve, a U.K.-based startup backed by SoftBank and Microsoft, which plans its own robotaxi pilot in 2026. Unlike Waymo’s radar- and lidar-based system, Wayve is developing a camera-only approach, similar to that employed by Tesla.

Next Move Strategy Consulting’s View

According to Next Move Strategy Consulting, Waymo’s planned launch in London underscores a defining moment for the global Robotaxi Market, marking Europe’s growing openness to autonomous mobility solutions. The consultancy notes that this expansion positions Waymo as a first-mover in one of the most regulated and densely populated cities, setting a strong precedent for future AV rollouts across the continent.

“Waymo’s entry into London reflects a strategic balancing act — advancing innovation while navigating complex policy, safety, and infrastructure challenges,” stated analysts at Next Move Strategy Consulting. “This move strengthens Europe’s momentum in autonomous transportation and is likely to stimulate cross-sector collaboration among technology firms, regulators, and mobility operators.”

Next Move Strategy Consulting further highlighted that Waymo’s collaboration with local partners such as Moove aligns with the growing trend of ecosystem-based operations, where global technology leaders work hand-in-hand with local entities to ensure efficient fleet management, compliance, and regional integration.

Source: CNBC

Prepared by: Next Move Strategy Consulting