Latest news with #AlexKendall
Bloomberg
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Wayve CEO on London Self-Driving Cars Trial With Uber
Wayve Technologies CEO & Co-Founder Alex Kendall discusses the company's plans to remain "asset light" and adaptable for all car manufacturers. This comes after the startup's announcement earlier this week that they will be partnering with Uber to trial fully autonomous vehicles in London. The two companies have been working together for some time, with Uber owning a strategic investment in the London-based startup. Kendall speaks to Bloomberg's Tom Mackenzie at sidelines of Founders Forum in Oxfordshire, UK. (Source: Bloomberg)
Perth Now
a day ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Uber to trial self-driving taxis in London next year
Uber will trial self-driving London taxis in Spring 2026. The transport firm is teaming up with the UK tech firm Wayve to roll out bookable rides via its app in the British capital. More self-driving taxis are set to be introduced when Automated Vehicles Act comes into force in late 2027. The move comes after the UK Labour government recently announced a trial period of self-driving vehicles would take place in Spring 2026. The Department for Transport (DfT) said 38,000 jobs, £42 billion to the economy, and safer UK roads would be created because of autonomous technology. In addition, it would improve accessibility for those who cannot or do not wish to drive, as well as transport options in rural areas in the UK. Heidi Alexander, Transport Secretary, said: 'The future of transport is arriving. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology.' Alex Kendall, a co-founder and the chief executive of Wayve, said the accelerated trials would put the UK in a leading position for fully autonomous cars, adding: 'These early pilots will help build public trust and unlock new jobs, services and markets.' However, Elly Baker, Labour's transport spokesperson in the London Assembly feared London Black Cab, as well as private taxi drivers could suffer. She told The Guardian: "Although jobs might be created building and managing driverless cars, existing taxi and private hire drivers shouldn't risk being left behind." Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said the move for self-driving taxis is something out of "fantasy land". He added to the publication: "We're probably going to have flying taxis before we have autonomous ones in London."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Wayve, Uber to start Level 4 autonomous vehicle trials in UK in 2026
Wayve and Uber have announced plans to initiate public-road trials of Level 4 autonomous vehicles in London next year, positioning the UK as a significant player in the development of self-driving technology. This collaboration will leverage Wayve's Embodied AI platform and Uber's extensive mobility network, aiming to scale the deployment of autonomous vehicles across Europe. The initiative has been made possible by the UK Secretary of State for Transport which has a framework for self-driving commercial pilots, aimed to establish the UK as a leader in autonomous vehicle technology. Wayve CEO and co-founder Alex Kendall said: 'This is a defining moment for UK autonomy. With Uber and a global OEM partner, we're preparing to put our AI Driver technology into real service on the streets of London, delivering on our AV2.0 vision for scalable autonomy. "Our Embodied AI learns to drive anywhere, in any vehicle, and this trial brings us closer to bringing safe and intelligent driving to everyday rides across the UK and beyond.' Wayve and Uber will work closely with the UK Government and Transport for London to navigate the permitting and regulatory approval process before the trials commence in spring 2026. Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said: 'Today's agreement, between two leading names at the forefront of the sector, is a fantastic vote of confidence in this new technology. By fast tracking pilots of self-driving vehicles to spring 2026, we are excited to see safety-first tests that will drive growth, create 38,000 jobs and add £42bn to our economy.' In 2024, the partners entered a multi-year collaboration to integrate Wayve's Embodied AI into vehicles operating on the Uber platform. Uber president and chief operating officer Andrew Macdonald added: '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. "Wayve's globally scalable AV2.0 approach makes them an ideal partner to bring Uber's autonomous vision to reality in new 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.' Additionally, in March, Wayve expanded its operations by setting up an on-road testing and development hub in Germany. This move is part of the company's strategy to enhance its automated driving technology and prepare for the upcoming trials in London with Uber. "Wayve, Uber to start Level 4 autonomous vehicle trials in UK in 2026" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Uber (UBER) to Test Fully Driverless Rides in the UK With Wayve
Uber (UBER, Financials) is getting ready to take the driver out of the driver's seatliterally. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Sign with UBER. The ride-hailing giant said Tuesday it will launch its first driverless pilot in the UK through a partnership with Wayve, a London-based startup building AI software for self-driving cars. The trials, expected to begin in London, will use Wayve's AI Driver to power cars that operate without human intervention. Uber said the UK's new accelerated framework for self-driving pilots made the move possible. This is a defining moment, said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall. We're putting AI Driver into real service. Uber COO Andrew MacDonald said the pilot pushes the company closer to making autonomy a reliable option for riders everywhere. The companies are coordinating with the UK's Department for Transport and Transport for London to secure the green light. The UK's Autonomous Vehicles Act, passed last year, aims to get self-driving cars on the road by 2026. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Uber to launch self-driving taxis in London next year
Self-driving cars are about to face one of their biggest hurdles yet: A medieval network of winding roads, more complex than the grid layouts of Californian cities, already mastered by this technology. Uber has announced it will launch self-driving taxis in London from spring 2026. The ride-hailing app company will operate services in partnership with artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Wayve. This has been enabled by the UK government's decision to bring forward trials of self-driving commercial taxis and 'bus-like services' in England to next spring. They were previously expected to begin when the Automated Vehicles Act becomes law from the second half of 2027. Uber's services will initially have a human in the driver's seat who can take over control of the vehicle in an emergency, but the trials will transition to being fully driverless. The company's existing trials of self-driving taxis are generally in US locations which have much simpler road layouts than London. Uber chief operating officer Andrew Macdonald described the English capital's roads as 'one of the world's busiest and most complex urban environments'. He added: '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.' Wayve co-founder Alex Kendall said the trial is 'a defining moment for UK autonomy' and 'brings us closer to bringing safe and intelligent driving to everyday rides across the UK and beyond'. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'The future of transport is arriving. 'Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world-leaders in new technology. 'With road safety at the heart of our pilots and legislation, we continue to take bold steps to create jobs, back British industry and drive innovation.' The sale and use of self-driving private cars will only be permitted when the Automated Vehicles Act becomes law. This legislation will require self-driving vehicles to achieve a level of safety at least as high as 'competent and careful human drivers', the DfT said. It is hoped the vehicles will reduce road deaths and injuries as their systems will be designed to have faster reaction times than humans, and will not become distracted or tired. The development of automated vehicle technology could create 38,000 jobs in the UK and add £42 billion to the economy by 2035, according to the DfT. The UK's first autonomous bus service was cancelled in February because of a lack of passengers. Stagecoach began operating self-driving buses on a 14-mile route between Fife and Edinburgh via the Forth Road Bridge in May 2023. The vehicles still required two members of staff on board, consisting of a safety driver who could take control of the vehicle and a 'captain' to sell tickets and provide customer service.
