Uber has launched a supervised autonomous ride hailing service in London, barely a day after ending its 12 year operation in Nigeria. The new service, developed in partnership with British artificial intelligence company Wayve, marks the first time autonomous rides have been made available to the public in the United Kingdom and represents a major step in Uber’s growing investment in self driving transportation.
The initial rollout involves a small fleet of all electric Ford Mustang Mach E vehicles equipped with Wayve’s AI Driver technology, cameras, radar and other sensors. The technology enables the vehicles to interpret their surroundings, navigate roads and respond to changing traffic conditions. Passengers requesting UberX, Uber Comfort or Uber Electric in eligible areas may be matched with the autonomous vehicles without paying an additional fare.
Despite being described as robotaxis, the London vehicles are not yet completely driverless. A licensed human safety operator will remain inside each vehicle to monitor the journey and take control when necessary, as full driverless operation remains subject to further regulatory approval. Uber said riders who are matched with an autonomous vehicle will be notified through the app and given the option to accept the trip or switch to a conventional vehicle.
The London launch highlights the contrasting directions of Uber’s global strategy, coming less than 24 hours after the company withdrew from Nigeria following a review of its business priorities and investment strategy. While the company has left the Nigerian ride hailing market, it is increasing its focus on autonomous mobility, with London becoming its second European city offering autonomous rides after Zagreb, Croatia. Uber and Wayve are also planning further deployments, including a potential expansion to Tokyo, as the company seeks to position artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles at the centre of its future growth.