Uber and Wayve get London license for self-driving taxis

London has taken a significant step toward a driverless future as Uber and the British technology firm Wayve have secured the first private hire vehicle licenses for self-driving taxis in the capital. The regulatory approval, granted by Transport for London (TfL) on August 5, 2026, allows a fleet of specially modified, all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with Wayve's artificial intelligence software to begin carrying paying customers.

The initial service will not be fully autonomous. Each vehicle will have a TfL-licensed private hire driver in the driver's seat to supervise the journey and intervene if necessary, with the AI system expected to control the car. The companies plan to invite selected members of the public to participate in pilot trips later this summer, ahead of a full public launch. According to the firms, more than 100,000 Londoners have already joined a waiting list to experience the technology.

This license completes what the companies describe as the "triple-lock" for private hire operations, with the operator, driver, and vehicle all licensed by TfL. Officials stated the vehicles underwent inspections to ensure they met the authority's safety...