Overview
- Waymo outlined a phased rollout that moves from mapping and safety‑driver testing to a passenger pilot expected in April, with a limited commercial launch planned by late 2026 subject to approvals.
- About 24 Jaguar I‑Pace vehicles are currently mapping and testing across roughly 19 London boroughs with safety drivers, with service expected to start in a small area and without airport drop‑offs initially.
- The London fleet uses lidar, cameras, radar and microphones for 360‑degree perception, and engineers are training the system on UK‑specific features such as zebra crossings and complex street layouts.
- The Department for Transport plans a passenger piloting scheme this spring under the Automated Vehicles framework, with services requiring safety validation and local authority consent, and officials citing potential for 38,000 jobs and up to £42 billion by 2035.
- Waymo cites a strong safety record over more than 100 million rider‑only miles while recent US incidents have prompted scrutiny, and competition in London includes Wayve, Tesla and partnerships involving Lyft and Baidu.