Driverless taxis will start operating in London within weeks, marking a significant milestone in the city's transportation ambitions.
Waymo, which is owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, plans to launch its autonomous vehicles in the capital next year.
It comes after rivals Uber and Wayve announced their own trials of self-driving ride-sharing services in London next year.
Waymo, which was founded in 2009 by staff from the Stanford Self-Driving Car Team, currently operates a fleet of Jaguar I-PACE SUVs in several cities in the United States, as well as Tokyo.
As of last spring, Waymo offers more than 250,000 paid rides per week, totalling more than a million miles monthly.
However, Waymo journeys are generally more expensive than normal taxis, with some studies showing they can cost a third more for similar routes.
A Waymo spokesman said its cars will start with “trained human specialists”, or safety drivers, behind the wheel on London’s streets.
It said it will work closely with the Department for Transport and Transport for London, which is chaired by mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, to obtain the necessary permissions to offer the rides in 2026.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Boosting the AV sector will increase accessible transport options alongside bringing jobs, investment and opportunities to the UK. Cutting-edge investment like this will help us deliver our mission to be world leaders in new technology and spearhead national renewal.”
A nationwide rollout of robocars is expected within the next two years when the Automated Vehicles Act fully takes effect.
Waymo’s co-chief executive Tekedra Mawakana said the technology was “making roads safer and transportation more accessible”, adding: “We’ve demonstrated how to responsibly scale fully autonomous ride-hailing, and we can’t wait to expand the benefits of our technology to the United Kingdom.”
London, which is often associated with black cabs, will be the first European city to host Waymo’s innovative robotaxis.
Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association which represents London cabbies, is not worried.
He told Sky News: "It's a novelty, it is a gimmick. It is the solution that we don't need. Who needs a driverless cab?"
