TLDR
- Uber launched its first autonomous taxi service in London using AI technology from British startup Wayve
- The pilot uses Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles, starting with fewer than 20 cars
- A safety driver remains in each vehicle; fully driverless operations have no confirmed timeline yet
- London is Uber’s second European robotaxi market, after Zagreb with Pony.AI
- Wall Street holds a Strong Buy on UBER stock, with an average price target of $104.04, implying 36% upside
Uber launched its first autonomous taxi fleet in London on Thursday, partnering with UK-based AI company Wayve. UBER stock closed Wednesday at $76.45, up 1.61%, and rose a further 0.6% after hours to $76.89.
The pilot begins with fewer than 20 Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles fitted with Wayve’s self-driving system. Riders using UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Electric may be matched with one of these vehicles at no extra charge.
A licensed safety driver will remain behind the wheel during the initial rollout. They can take control or apply the brakes if necessary.
Uber’s head of autonomous mobility, Sarfraz Maredia, said fully driverless approval is still being worked through under the UK government’s pilot framework. No timeline has been confirmed.
🇬🇧HUGE: Uber launches London’s FIRST AI-powered robotaxis, beating Waymo to the UK.
Uber is deploying 20 Ford Mustang Mach-Es powered by Wayve’s AI Driver, which learns from real-world driving and adapts to new roads, weather and cities, making London only the second European… pic.twitter.com/y7Rvqdue9X
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) September 3, 2026
London is considered one of the more demanding environments for autonomous vehicles. Narrow roads, heavy traffic, buses, bicycles, and e-bikes all add complexity to operating a self-driving car there.
Uber’s Broader Robotaxi Push
The London launch is Uber’s second European robotaxi market. The company first entered Europe through Zagreb, where it partnered with Chinese firm Pony.AI.
Uber also agreed to deploy more than 2,000 Pony.AI robotaxis across Europe. In Dubai, fully driverless Baidu vehicles are already carrying Uber passengers.
Uber’s approach is to partner with autonomous vehicle companies rather than build its own self-driving technology. This gives AV firms access to Uber’s existing rider network while Uber avoids the cost of developing the underlying tech.
Wayve and Uber formed their partnership in 2024, which included an investment from Uber. The two companies plan to expand into more markets over time.
Competition Is Building in London
Uber is not alone in targeting London. Alphabet’s Waymo and Baidu are also preparing to launch commercial passenger services in the city.
That means London could become a competitive testing ground for several autonomous vehicle platforms at once.
Wayve was founded in Cambridge and is one of the few UK-based companies building end-to-end AI driving systems. Its technology is designed to work across different vehicle types and road environments.
On Wall Street, analysts hold a Strong Buy consensus on UBER stock. That rating is based on 29 Buy ratings, three Holds, and zero Sells assigned over the past three months.
The average price target stands at $104.04, implying roughly 36% upside from current levels.
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