Uber is set to launch autonomous ‘robotaxis’ on UK public roads in trials set for early next year – a first for the company.

The ride-sharing service said it will work alongside UK AI startup Wayve to bring the driverless vehicles to the streets of London as soon as spring 2026, with the scheme marking the largest market so far where Uber plans to introduce autonomous vehicles.

The timing of Uber’s announcement follows the UK Government’s confirmation that it will look to fast-track self-driving commercial pilots next year, before a potential wider rollout when the full Automated Vehicles Act becomes law from the second half of 2027.

Under the Government’s accelerated framework, firms like Uber will be able to trial small scale ‘taxi- and bus-like’ services without a safety driver for the first time, potentially creating 38,000 jobs and adding £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035. 

Uber said that bringing forward self-driving commercial pilots was a major step forward in the development of the technology needed for autonomous vehicle deployment in cities around the world. 

“Our vision is to make autonomy a safe and reliable option for riders everywhere, and this trial in London brings that future closer to reality,” said Andrew Macdonald, president and chief operating officer at Uber.

“We’re excited to take the next step in our journey with Wayve, bringing autonomous mobility to one of the world’s busiest and most complex urban environments.”

While it isn’t clear yet whether Uber’s UK app users will be able to take part in the trial, Macdonald recently told the BBC that the company was ‘ready to go’ with driverless taxis on UK streets as soon as legislation allowed.

The company already launched another driverless taxi scheme earlier this year in Austin, Texas, available at no extra costs to users with the company claiming the vehicles can work for 20 hours a day, seven days a week.

Uber is also rumoured to be in the initial phases of testing autonomous tech in Las Vegas, and according to Wired, has inked another deal to bring autonomous vehicles to the UAE.

Meanwhile, self-driving trials have been taking place in the UK since January 2015, with the Government keeping strict watch over the emerging industry.

That’s included introducing guidance and regulations on everything from the construction of prototype vehicles to the organisation of safe trials on public roads, and even best practice for maintaining the cybersecurity of automated vehicles. 

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That has helped encourage what has become a thriving self-driving sector. Last year, Wayve secured a record-breaking investment of over $1 billion (£741m) and announced recent partnerships with Nissan and Uber, while Oxfordshire-based Oxa has already supported ‘bus-like’ services in the US and started rolling out self-driving vehicles at Heathrow Airport to improve baggage handling. 

“We can’t afford to take a back seat on AI, unless it’s on a self-driving bus,” said UK technology secretary, Peter Kyle.

“It’s great to see the UK storming ahead as a global leader in using this technology, making our roads safer, travel easier and driving growth by spurring innovation across the country.

“That’s why we’re bringing timelines forward today, placing the UK firmly in the fast lane and creating opportunity along the way so people across the country benefit.”