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Uber Secures London Robotaxi Licences, Ends Waymo Deal, Commits $10B

8/11/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Uber and Wayve obtained London licences for autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E SUVs, clearing a regulatory hurdle.
Uber will end its Waymo partnership in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in 2028.
Uber committed $10 billion to autonomy, allocating $7.5 billion for up to 20,000 Lucid EVs and 10,000 Rivian robotaxis.
Analysts warn the $10 billion may be insufficient for Uber’s goal of 100,000-120,000 robotaxis by 2028-2030 and note Waymo’s strong fleet lead.

History

Historical Context

Google began its self-driving car program in January 2009, securing the first U.S. autonomous-vehicle license in Nevada in May 2012 after lobbying state lawmakers. The project, renamed Waymo in December 2016, spent $1.1 billion and logged over a million test miles, paving the regulatory path that today enables Uber and Wayve’s 2024 London robotaxi licences.

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Story summary

Uber and Wayve obtained London licences for autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E SUVs, clearing a regulatory hurdle.
Uber will end its Waymo partnership in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in 2028.
Uber committed $10 billion to autonomy, allocating $7.5 billion for up to 20,000 Lucid EVs and 10,000 Rivian robotaxis.
Analysts warn the $10 billion may be insufficient for Uber’s goal of 100,000-120,000 robotaxis by 2028-2030 and note Waymo’s strong fleet lead.

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