Waymo, Alphabet’s(NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) autonomous driving unit, plans to launch its driverless ride-hailing service in London next year, marking its first European and second international market after Tokyo.
“We’re bringing our fully autonomous ride-hailing service across the pond, where we intend to offer rides – with no human behind the wheel – in 2026,” the company said.
The company will begin testing a small fleet with safety drivers across a 100-square-mile area in the coming months, in partnership with Uber-backed (UBER) Moove for fleet operations, according to a spokesperson.
Commercial service is expected after 2026, when the U.K. permits self-driving pilots. Unlike in U.S. cities, where it partners with Uber (UBER) and Lyft (LYFT), Waymo intends to operate through its own app in London, setting up direct competition with major ride-hailing platforms.
Uber (UBER), alongside its partner Wayve Technologies, is targeting the same 2026 regulatory window to begin autonomous vehicle trials in London.
Waymo currently completes hundreds of thousands of weekly rides across five U.S. markets, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, and is also expanding with Moove in Miami by 2026.