Not even potholes will hold up self-driving cars, UK firm predicts
Source: BBC Technology
British self‑driving startup Wayve says its technology will allow autonomous vehicles to “really drive anywhere”, even on the UK’s pothole‑blighted roads.
Funding round
Wayve has raised an additional $1.5 bn (£1.1 bn) from investors, including Microsoft and chip giant Nvidia – one of the largest ever funding rounds for a British company. The new investment values the London‑based business at around $8.6 bn (£6.4 bn).
Robotaxi launch plans
Wayve is preparing to launch robotaxis in London later this year as part of a partnership with Uber. Co‑founder and chief executive Alex Kendall told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
“We’ve taken it throughout Wales, Scotland, rural parts of England and the complexities of driving it through central London.”
When asked whether cars equipped with Wayve’s tech would struggle with hazards such as potholes, Kendall replied:
“Not at all. The AI has the intelligence to drive on roads, the same ones as you and I, just drive within the environment that we have today.”
Wayve, founded in 2017, develops AI that learns from the environment by processing sensor data, rather than relying on pre‑mapped routes.
Industry context
Wayve faces strong competition from rivals such as Waymo and Lyft, the latter planning a UK launch in partnership with Chinese firm Baidu. Kendall noted that training an AI to drive in London is a “different driving experience than the grid‑like streets and wide boulevards you get in the United States”.
China has already allowed autonomous vehicles in several cities for years, and Kendall predicts that “all cars will be autonomous in the future”.
Expert commentary
Rachel Harris, Supervising Associate at Simmons & Simmons, said the funding round shows “investors believe autonomous driving technology is reaching commercial maturity”. She added that there are still potential roadblocks:
“The critical question is whether regulation can keep pace. If those challenges can be overcome, the UK is well positioned to be not just a centre of autonomous‑vehicle innovation, but a global leader in regulation.”