Uber Technologies Inc has tapped AI firm Wayve to launch public road trials for autonomous vehicles in the UK. Uber and Wayve are partnering to create Level 4 autonomous vehicles as part of their collaboration.

The Society of Automotive Engineers, an industry organization, categorizes vehicle autonomy into six levels, from Level 0 to Level 5. Vehicles classified as Level 4 have a high degree of autonomy but operate within specific areas. In emergencies or system failures, a human driver can take over manual control.

Alphabet is already running its Waymo autonomous taxi service in San Francisco, while various manufacturers, including Tesla, are developing their own versions of robotaxis.

The collaboration between Uber and Wayve marks the UK as the largest market where the ride-hailing platform plans to trial autonomous vehicles. These tests will leverage Wayve's Embodied AI technology along with Uber’s extensive mobility network.

Cities like London and other locations in the UK present complex driving scenarios, featuring notably different road configurations and traffic regulations compared to areas in the US, where most Level 4 testing has primarily occurred.

Consequently, insights gained from the UK will represent a significant advancement in the evolution of Level 4 technology for use in urban settings globally.

 

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Wayve and Uber initiated a multi-year collaboration in 2024 to incorporate the former's Embodied AI technology into vehicles on the latter's platform. The operational trials are planned to expand toward implementation in major European markets.

Established in 2017, Wayve is a London-based developer of automated driving technology supported by investors such as SoftBank Group, Nvidia, and Eclipse Ventures.