Investing.com -- Uber (NYSE:UBER) announced on Tuesday its collaboration with Wayve, a self-driving car technology firm, to initiate trials of fully autonomous rides in the U.K.
This partnership marks a significant step for the ride-hailing app as it will enable users to take Uber rides without the presence of a safety driver, a standard referred to as "Level 4" in the autonomous driving industry.
Self-driving vehicles are not a new phenomenon in cities like San Francisco, where Waymo, Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s autonomous driving venture, operates a commercial ride-hailing service using driverless cars.
Yet, Uber’s pilot program is the first of its kind for the company, and it signifies a move towards global competition in the deployment of autonomous "robotaxi" services.
Uber’s president and chief operating officer, Andrew MacDonald, stated that the partnership with Wayve brings the company one step closer to its goal of making autonomous driving a safe and reliable option for riders everywhere.
Alex Kendall, Wayve’s CEO and co-founder, echoed this sentiment, calling it a "defining moment for UK autonomy". He added that, in collaboration with Uber and a global OEM partner, they are preparing to implement their AI Driver technology on the streets of London.
The launch of the pilot in the U.K. was made possible due to an "accelerated framework" for self-driving commercial pilots introduced by the U.K.’s Department of Transport.
Uber and Wayve will work in close coordination with the government and Transport for London, the main authority overseeing transport in the U.K. capital, to secure regulatory approvals and permissions before the trials commence.
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