Key Takeaways

• Uber on Tuesday said its partnership with self-driving software startup Wayve is moving forward, with pilot programs planned for the streets of London.

• The companies partnered last August, and said they planned to eventually bring Wayve's autonomous vehicles to Uber's platform.

• The U.K. Department for Transport also said Tuesday that it is approving self-driving test programs for spring 2026, a year ahead of schedule.

Uber Technologies (UBER) announced on Tuesday plans to test self-driving vehicles using AI software made by Wayve on the road in London.

The companies have partnered previously, with Uber participating in a fundraising round for Wayve last August, when the companies said they planned to bring Wayve's self-driving technology to Uber's platform.

That partnership is now a step closer to putting real vehicles on the road for customers, but Uber and Wayve did not provide an exact timeline for the pilot programs. Also on Tuesday, the United Kingdom's Department for Transport issued a release saying the regulator would green light self-driving pilot programs for spring 2026, a year earlier than it had expected.

The agency said that self-driving companies like Wayve have been running tests in the U.K. this year, but added that "self-driving cars without a safety driver could be available for people to book via an app for the first time" starting next spring.

Wayve and Uber said the automaker partner that will provide the cars and the timeline for the tests in London will be released in the coming months. After the trial program in London, the companies said they expect to expand to other European markets.

The agreement is the latest in a long line of deals that Uber, and rideshare rival Lyft (LYFT), have struck to ensure their platforms aren't left behind amid the push to autonomous driving technology. Uber's partnership with Alphabet's (GOOGL) Waymo has expanded to new markets like Austin, Texas so far this year, as Tesla (TSLA) prepares to launch its own robotaxi service in the city this month.

Uber shares were up 1% in premarket trading, and are up about 44% since the start of the year entering Tuesday.

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