The streets of London are set for a technological revolution as the capital prepares to welcome fully self-driving cars. Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Google's parent firm Alphabet, has confirmed the first 20 boroughs where its driverless service will be rolled out in 2026.
The Road to Autonomy in the Capital
Waymo is currently conducting extensive trials on London's roads, with human safety drivers present, to map the city and validate its technology. The company has stated that testing runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure the system can handle all conditions. While commercial rides are not yet available, the first passengers are expected to be carried in the new year as part of the ongoing trial phase.
The iconic image of a Jaguar I-Pace from Waymo's fleet on the famous Abbey Road zebra crossing, shared on social media, has provided a striking glimpse of this future. The vehicles rely on a sophisticated suite of sensors, including cameras, radar, and lidar (a 3D scanning system), to create overlapping fields of vision. Waymo claims this allows the cars to detect objects in every direction from up to 500 metres away.
Which Boroughs Will Be First?
The full list of London boroughs slated to receive Waymo's autonomous vehicle service in 2026 has now been published. The selected areas span central, north, east, and south London, indicating a broad initial deployment.
- 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
- City of London
A Broader Shift in Urban Transport
Waymo's London expansion marks a significant step for the company, which has been operating commercial self-driving services in several US cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, since 2020. The move positions London at the forefront of adopting autonomous transport technology in Europe.
This development is part of a wider transformation in the city's mobility landscape. It follows news that Uber also plans to launch driverless cars in London next year, and the anticipated introduction of flying taxi services by 2028. Waymo emphasises the safety benefits of its technology, stating its 'Waymo Driver' never gets drunk, tired, or distracted.
While an exact date for the public launch of the hailable service in London remains unconfirmed, the publication of the borough list signals that the era of self-driving cars on the capital's roads is imminent.
