Waymo in London

faqs

• faqs

  • When and where will you be driving?

    We will soon begin conducting extensive trials of Waymo’s technology as part of our mapping and safety validation work across select boroughs in London, including Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, City of Westminster, and the City of London.

    We are not yet offering commercial rides, but our testing hours typically run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to ensure our technology can safely handle all of London’s road conditions.

  • Why are you in my neighbourhood?

    If you see a Waymo vehicle in your borough, it is likely because we are mapping and validating our technology in your specific area. We aim to gather data across the widest possible range of London’s unique street layouts and driving conditions to ensure the Waymo Driver is robust and comfortable for future operation.

  • When can I try one?

    We are working hard to bring fully autonomous ride-hailing to London as soon as we can. The best way to stay informed about our expansion and service launch is to download the Waymo app and register your interest. We will notify you as soon as our commercial service becomes available in your area.

  • Why is the steering wheel on the left side (left-hand drive)?

    We are currently using our existing fleet of specially-equipped Jaguar I-PACE vehicles that were originally built for our US operations, where drivers sit on the left. The Waymo Driver—our fully autonomous system—does not require a human to operate the controls. However, our Autonomous Specialists are on board during these early trials to monitor the system, and they are trained to operate a left-hand drive vehicle safely on UK roads, and with all the rules and regulations of the roads in the UK regulations.

  • What is the purpose of manual driving?

    Experience is the best teacher. Waymo drives on public roads to introduce and refine its autonomous driving technology in real-world conditions, enabling it to adapt to the specific nuances of each city’s roadways.

  • Are you filming what's around the vehicle?

    Our vehicles are equipped with a suite of sensors—including cameras, lidar, and radar—that continuously perceive the world around the vehicle. This is essential for the Waymo Driver to safely navigate its surroundings, spot things like cyclists and lorries, and obey all traffic signals. This data is used solely to develop and validate our safety-critical autonomous driving technology.

  • What kind of experience/background do the autonomous specialists have?

    Our autonomous specialists who are present in the vehicle during testing are highly trained professionals. They often have a background in professional driving or vehicle operations, combined with technical expertise in software and system troubleshooting. They undergo rigorous internal training and certification to understand autonomous system fundamentals, safety protocols, and emergency procedures.

  • Where can I find more information about Waymo and stay up-to-date?

    You can stay up-to-date with our latest news and expansion plans by visiting the official Waymo website, subscribing to our blog (Waypoint), and following our official social media channels. You can also download the Waymo app and sign up for updates to be notified when we launch our commercial service.