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American company Waymo has revealed that its autonomous taxis will be on offer for use on London's roads starting next year.

London Becomes First European City for Self-Driving Cab Service.

The UK capital will become the inaugural European city to introduce an autonomous taxi service, comparable with those currently in use in multiple US cities and four other American locations employing Waymo's innovative technology.

Initial Operations to Commence with Safety Drivers.

Waymo confirmed that its vehicles are presently en route to London and will begin driving on the city's streets in the coming weeks with trained human specialists behind the wheel.

The company – originally created as a derivative from the tech giant's autonomous vehicle program and part of the same parent group – explained it would expand services and work closely with the Department for Transport and London's transport agency to obtain the necessary permissions to offer completely driverless rides by 2026.

Expanding Involvement in Autonomous Mobility Across London.

Other organizations, including Uber and the UK-based tech company Wayve, have also declared their own strategies to pilot self-driving cabs in the capital next year.

This follows the British government stating it would accelerate rules enabling public trials to proceed before legislation supporting driverless transport passes in full.

“I am thrilled that Waymo intends to introduce their offerings to London next year, under our proposed piloting scheme,” said the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander.

“Boosting the AV industry will enhance available mobility choices while also creating employment, capital, and possibilities to the UK. Cutting-edge funding like this will help us deliver our mission to be world leaders in advanced innovation and spearhead countrywide development.”

Complete Rollout Expected After Automated Vehicles Act Takes Effect.

A fuller rollout of autonomous vehicles is anticipated in the UK after the new law is fully implemented in late 2027.

Waymo's Current Ties in the UK and Internationally.

Waymo currently has ties to the UK after establishing its pioneering European engineering hub in Oxford in 2019.

It is additionally introducing operations in Tokyo using JLR electric vehicles, marking its only other existing operation beyond the United States.

“Evidence confirms how to safely expand completely driverless taxi services, and we are eager to bring the positive impacts of our systems to the United Kingdom,” stated Waymo's co-chief executive, adding that the technology was “enhancing transport security and mobility more accessible”.

Demonstrated History in the United States.

Waymo launched its driverless cabs in 2020 and currently claims it has served over 10 million passengers in the US.

Regardless of some troubling occurrences, Waymo indicated that statistics demonstrated that vehicles controlled by drivers were linked to incidents that harmed people on foot significantly more frequently than its driverless vehicles.