Londoners can now get matched up with Uber’s new driverless rides – here’s what to expect
Key Points
- Uber has begun inviting interest list members in London to be matched with Wayve autonomous vehicles on UberX, Uber Electric and Uber Comfort.
- Every early access trip carries a trained, TfL-licensed private hire driver on board under the government's AV Trialling Code of Practice.
- The cars are all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-Es using camera and radar sensing, with fares at standard Uber prices.
- TfL licensed up to 15 vehicles on 5 August, each licence running for one year.
- Full public launch is expected before the end of 2026, subject to remaining TfL approvals.
Uber has started inviting Londoners off its Wayve interest list, giving early access riders the chance to be matched with a self-driving car when they request an UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort trip.
The invitations go to people who joined the interest list in the Uber app, and being on that list raises the odds of matching with a Wayve vehicle when a ride is requested inside the service area. More than 100,000 Londoners signed up in the eight weeks to early August.
The fare matches a standard Uber fare, with no premium for the autonomous vehicle. Riders who would rather not take part can opt out through a link in the invitation email.
The car that arrives is an all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E running Wayve’s AI Driver, with surround cameras and radar rather than the lidar stacks used by rival systems.
A trained, TfL-licensed private hire driver sits on board for every trip to monitor the ride and take control if needed.
The vehicles operate under the government’s AV Trialling Code of Practice and Uber’s TfL operator licence. Inside, riders get an Uber-designed screen setup with ride controls, live route tracking and customer support in 64 languages.
Transport for London granted private hire vehicle licences to a number of Wayve’s cars on 5 August, completing the “triple-lock” requirement under which the operator, driver and vehicle must all hold licences from the same authority.
The approval covers modifications to up to 15 vehicles on a trial basis, with each licence valid for one year. Wayve has put the initial rollout at dozens of cars rather than hundreds.
“This licence is a key milestone in bringing autonomous rides to London on Uber,” said Annie Duvnjak, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility Operations at Uber.
Trips run across Greater London during the trial phase, with early riders travelling to destinations throughout selected boroughs. Uber asks each early access rider for feedback after the trip, including a rating at drop-off, and feeds that into the service design ahead of the full public launch.
Both companies expect that launch before the end of the year, pending the final operational approvals still being settled with TfL.
Wayve has been testing on London roads since 2018 and says supervised operation builds the safety record needed before the drivers come out of the cars, with no strict timeline attached to that step.
The permits put Uber and Wayve ahead of Waymo and Baidu in London. Waymo started testing in the capital in April 2026 and is working towards a commercial launch later this year, running with safety drivers while it prepares its own public service. Labour organisations pushed back on the TfL licensing decision immediately.
