Uber and Pony.ai to launch robotaxis in London

Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle maker Pony.ai announced on Thursday that they plan to launch a robotaxi service in London. The companies will begin testing Pony.ai's Gen-7 robotaxis in the city in the coming weeks as part of an expanded European partnership.

The ride-hailing company has formed agreements with more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies to secure a foothold in driverless delivery and passenger trips. Uber expects to offer autonomous vehicle rides in as many as 15 cities worldwide by the end of 2026, divided roughly evenly between the United States and international markets.

Uber and Pony.ai initially partnered in May 2025 in the Middle East before expanding to Europe, where they plan to deploy 2,000 robotaxis. In August 2026, the companies launched a service in Zagreb, Croatia, alongside Verne, a startup founded by Rimac Group CEO Mate Rimac that owns and operates the fleet. In that setup, Pony.ai supplies its autonomous driving system and the Arcfox Alpha T5 robotaxi developed with BAIC. The London service will follow a similar operational model, though fleet ownership details have not been disclosed.

Pony.ai is not Uber's only autonomous partner in London. Uber also invested in British self-driving startup Wayve, which raised $1.2 billion in February 2026 from Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber. That funding round could reach $1.5 billion through an additional $300 million from Uber if Wayve deploys robotaxis starting in London. Elsewhere, Uber has agreed separate deals in Dubai with Baidu and WeRide, while Pony.ai currently operates robotaxi services across four cities in China and pursues expansion in Qatar.