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American firm Waymo has revealed that its self-driving vehicles will be operational for hire on London's streets starting next year.

London Becomes First European City for Self-Driving Taxi Service.

London will become the pioneering European city to introduce an driverless taxi service, comparable with those already familiar in multiple US cities and four other American locations employing Waymo's cutting-edge platform.

First Trials to Start with Safety Drivers.

Waymo stated that its fleet are presently heading to London and will commence operating on the city's roads in the next few weeks with trained human specialists in control.

Waymo – initially established as a spin-off from Google's self-driving car project and belonging to the Alphabet family – stated it would increase activities and work closely with the government transport body and Transport for London to acquire the required permissions to offer completely driverless services by 2026.

Growing Presence in Autonomous Transport In London.

Other companies, including Uber and the UK-based technology firm Wayve, have also announced their own plans to pilot driverless cabs in the city next year.

This follows the British government announcing it would speed up guidelines allowing real-world tests to take place before laws enabling driverless transport becomes law in full.

“I'm delighted that Waymo intends to launch their technology to London next year, under our planned piloting scheme,” stated the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander.

“Strengthening the autonomous vehicle sector will increase available mobility choices alongside generating employment, investment, and possibilities to the UK. Innovative investment like this will support our objective to be global pioneers in emerging tech and lead economic growth.”

Complete Introduction Projected After Automated Vehicles Act Is Enforced.

A broader deployment of driverless taxis is anticipated in the UK after the new law comes completely into force in 2027.

The Company's Current Connections in the UK and Internationally.

Waymo already has connections to Britain after establishing its first European engineering hub in Oxford in 2019.

The company is additionally introducing services in Tokyo using JLR electric vehicles, marking its second present project outside the United States.

“Our experience shows how to safely expand completely driverless ride-hailing, and we can’t wait to bring the positive impacts of our platform to the Britain,” stated the company executive, noting that the system was “enhancing transport security and mobility more inclusive”.

Demonstrated History in the United States.

Waymo introduced its driverless vehicles in 2020 and currently states it has served in excess of 10 million customers in the United States.

In spite of some troubling occurrences, Waymo asserted that evidence demonstrated that vehicles operated by humans were linked to accidents that hurt walkers at a much higher rate than its self-driving fleet.