Waymo raises $16bn ahead of London launch AI Alphabet-owned Waymo has raised $16bn (£12.6bn), valuing the self driving vehicle company at $126bn, as its London launch edges closer. The investment round, led by Dragoneer, DST Global and Sequoia, comes as the firm steps up preparations for its UK debut, with its cars already spotted testing on the streets of the capital. London is [...]
Waymo accelerates London rollout despite US safety probe Tech Waymo is stepping up preparations for its UK rollout after its driverless vehicles were spotted on the streets of London, as the Alphabet-owned firm faces safety scrutiny in the US. The self-driving vehicle firm has confirmed it is testing its robotaxis in the capital ahead of a planned passenger launch this year, marking its second [...]
Microsoft rides the Wayve as self driving cars hit London streets Tech Microsoft announced its strengthened partnership with British born autonomous driving startup Wayve on Thursday, in a move set to bring the tech into commercial use. This collaboration, based largely on Microsoft Azure, provides its infrastructure to both train and operate the AV firm’s AI into complex urban environments such as London. Founded in 2017 in [...]
Robotaxis are coming – how will London respond? January 7, 2026 The planned launch of autonomous ride services, starting with Uber in 2026, marks a major shift for London’s streets, repositioning mobility as a software-governed infrastructure that will redistribute control over pricing, liability and data, says Paul Armstrong A structural shift is forming on London’s streets, and too many businesses are still treating it as a [...]
Waymo’s Black Mirror moment raises questions for London launch December 30, 2025 Waymo’s robotaxi fleet hit a high-profile snag last weekend, turning a San Francisco blackout into something out of a tech dystopia. A substation fire left a third of the city without power, traffic lights went dark, and Waymo’s autonomous cars, normally lauded for their ability to handle tricky intersections, stalled in droves. Videos across social [...]
How AI took the wheel in 2025 December 27, 2025 2025 was the year artificial intelligence (AI) took the driver’s seat, literally. Not just in boardrooms or on trading floors, but increasingly on the tarmac, in showrooms, and behind the wheel itself. From record-breaking EV sales in the UK and Europe to autonomous taxis navigating San Francisco streets and preparing to arrive in London next [...]
Bolt targets 100,000 driverless cars by 2035 December 9, 2025 Bolt is accelerating its self-driving mission with a new hardware partnership with Stellantis, it was announced on Tuesday. Together, both firms will deploy 100,000 autonomous vehicles on its platform within the next decade. Trials are to kick off across European hubs from 2026, placing the mobility platform ahead in the AV race. The deal will [...]
Robots set to replace couriers at Uber Eats November 20, 2025 Uber Eats and Starship Technologies have announced a partnership to deploy autonomous delivery robots across the UK, Europe, and the US, starting in Leeds this December. While the pair have argued the move promises faster, cheaper, AI-powered deliveries, it may also reignite fears over the future of human couriers. Starship, which operates the world’s largest [...]
I tried a self-driving taxi ahead of Waymo’s UK debut October 17, 2025 When Waymo announced this week that London will host its first European fleet with autonomous taxis hitting the capital’s streets from next year, I thought it was the perfect time to test one out. It’s an unusual feeling, sitting in a car with no one in the driver’s seat, watching it turn, brake and steer [...]
Tesla shares jump as Musk teases June robotaxi launch May 29, 2025 Tesla shares climbed two per cent in after-hours trading on Wednesday after reports emerged that the EV giant is preparing to launch its long-anticipated robotaxi service as early as 12th June. The bounce helped reverse earlier losses driven by disappointing new vehicle registration figures across Europe. The sudden shift in investor sentiment followed chief executive [...]