Wayve and Uber launch paid London robotaxi service ahead of Waymo
Source: The Register: Biting the hand that feeds
Wayve's deployment of 15 autonomous Ford Mustangs for paid rides in London represents the first meaningful challenge to Waymo's market leadership in commercial autonomous driving outside the US. The distinction matters less for the vehicle count and more for the regulatory pathway: Wayve secured London approval without the years of geofenced testing that preceded Waymo's US deployments. This suggests different jurisdictions are now racing to establish autonomous taxi markets rather than waiting for one vendor to dominate. The planned upgrade to driverless Nissan LEAFs indicates Wayve is engineering toward full autonomy faster than the timeline required in more litigious markets. European cities may become early adopters while US regulators remain more cautious, creating divergent regulatory velocities across markets.