Wayve and Uber's robotaxi project in London has passed a significant milestone with the issuance of 'Private Hire Vehicle' licences by Transport for London. This development brings the companies closer to launching a robotaxi service in the city, although additional regulatory approvals are still required.
Key Insights
The licensed vehicles are fully electric Ford Mustang Mach-E models that have been modified by Wayve for autonomous driving. Notably, a trained and TfL-licensed safety driver must remain on board for the time being, despite the vehicles being designed to operate autonomously. The project will operate under the UK's AV Trialling Code of Practice and Uber's TfL licence, ensuring a safe and regulated environment for the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles.
