"Waymo is expanding to London, the self-driving vehicle developer announced on Wednesday. The Google sister company aims to start service next year, when the UK government plans to allow autonomous vehicles to begin operating on its roads in limited pilot programs. Waymo says it's working with the government to receive the necessary permissions for its launch. This is only Waymo's second venture outside the United States-though could be its first international robotaxi service."
"London could prove the company's biggest challenge yet. Unlike more car-oriented cities in the US, London's streets are more winding and narrow, the city's layout a legacy of its pre-Roman and medieval history. "We will take the same rigorous approach to testing and deploying in London as we have in other cities before offering rides to the public," Waymo spokesperson Ethan Teicher wrote in an email. He says Waymo's experience in Tokyo will help its software drive in London."
Waymo is expanding to London and aims to start service next year when the UK plans to permit limited autonomous vehicle pilot programs. The company is working with the government to obtain permissions and has been testing robotaxis in Tokyo with Nihon Kotsu and ride-hail firm GO, using taxi drivers to map and collect driving data. London's narrow, winding streets and medieval layout present significant challenges compared with more car-oriented US cities. Waymo operates paid taxi services in five US cities, plans multiple expansions, and says it has provided over ten million paid rides since 2020.
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