• The pilot service will start in April before the official launch for passengers
• The autonomous vehicles rely on advanced sensor systems and artificial intelligence

An American company specializing in self-driving cars announced that it hopes to operate its services in the British capital, London, starting from September.

The UK government explained that it plans to amend regulations in the second half of 2026 to allow autonomous taxis to operate in the city, without specifying an exact date.

Waymo indicated that it will launch a pilot service in April, and local Transport Minister Lillian Greenwood said: “We support this service and others through passenger pilot programs and pro-innovation regulations to make self-driving cars a reality on British roads.”

The company displayed its new fleet at London’s Transport Museum, noting that the vehicles are currently operated by a safety driver to monitor streets and map routes, but when the service launches for passengers, the cars will operate without any human intervention.

Greenwood confirmed that self-driving cars are expected to make roads safer, explaining: “Unlike humans, automated vehicles don’t get tired, don’t get distracted, and don’t drive under the influence of alcohol.”

She added that autonomous vehicles must meet strict safety standards, including protection against hacking and cyberattacks, before being allowed on UK roads.

Passengers will be able to request autonomous vehicles via a dedicated app once regulations allow, noting that the service will initially exclude airport transfers.

The cars use four sensor systems to collect data from their surroundings: lidar, vision, radar, and microphone, giving the vehicle 360-degree awareness, up to a distance equivalent to three football fields, even in poor weather conditions.

A powerful computer in the trunk processes the data and makes decisions in real time.

A company spokesperson said that pricing will be competitive and premium, with fares increasing during peak periods.