Waymo goes global: London launch set for 2026
Waymo announced plans to roll out its autonomous ride-hailing service in London next year, marking its first major expansion beyond the US The program will start with limited zones in West London using Jaguar I-PACE vehicles and a combination of lidar, radar, and vision-based sensors. British regulators have already begun drafting new frameworks for “self-driving services,” signaling a significant milestone in Europe’s embrace of commercial AV fleets. Industry analysts view this as a major step in exporting US AV expertise to international markets while testing how public acceptance and insurance models adapt across borders.
Read more: Reuters
Simulating reality: video games training next-gen AVs
Researchers are now using video-game engines to train autonomous-driving AI faster and more safely. A Maryland-based project is creating hyper-realistic driving environments where vehicles encounter simulated traffic, weather, and human behaviors—without real-world risk. Developers can tweak scenarios thousands of times per hour, dramatically accelerating edge-case learning. Experts say these simulations could reduce on-road testing costs while improving how systems handle rare events such as pedestrian dart-outs or emergency-vehicle interactions.
Read more: WTOP
Waymo revisits delivery—this time with DoorDash
Waymo is re-entering the delivery space through a new partnership with DoorDash. The pilot will integrate autonomous Chrysler Pacifica vans into select metro delivery routes, aiming to test both short-haul logistics and consumer comfort with AV grocery and meal drop-offs. This marks Waymo’s first major logistics effort since pausing its freight division in 2023. DoorDash says the goal is to enhance delivery efficiency and expand peak-hour capacity. The collaboration highlights how mobility players are diversifying beyond passenger rides to stabilize revenue streams.
Read more: TechCrunch
Stellantis partners with Pony.ai on European robotaxis
Automaker Stellantis announced a joint venture with Chinese autonomous-driving firm Pony.ai to co-develop electric robotaxis for European cities. The partnership will leverage Stellantis’ EV platforms and Pony.ai’s full-stack autonomy software, targeting pilot operations in 2026. The move reinforces the automaker’s strategy to blend software and electrification as core growth pillars. Observers note that the tie-up also reflects Europe’s competitive race to keep pace with US and Asian AV deployments.
Read more: TechCrunch
Wayve nears $2 billion raise from tech giants
London-based self-driving startup Wayve is reportedly in advanced talks with SoftBank and Microsoft to raise up to $2 billion. The funding would rank among Europe’s largest autonomy investments to date, fueling the company’s “embodied intelligence” approach—training AI models to adapt dynamically instead of relying on pre-mapped routes. If finalized, the deal would strengthen Wayve’s position against US rivals and bolster the UK’s growing mobility-innovation ecosystem.
Read more: Forbes
