Alphabet-owned firm faces US safety investigations after robotaxis overtook school buses in Texas
A Waymo vehicle charges at a lot on January 15, 2026 in Austin, Texas(Image: Getty Images)
Waymo is accelerating plans for its UK launch after its autonomous vehicles were seen on London’s streets, as the Alphabet-owned company comes under safety scrutiny in the United States.
The self-driving car firm has confirmed it is trialling its robotaxis in the capital ahead of a planned passenger service this year, representing its second international market after Japan.
The development follows Waymo’s expansion of its paid, fully driverless ride-hailing service in the US, with Miami being the most recent addition. The Miami launch establishes Waymo as the first operator to run commercial robotaxis in six American cities.
The service is currently restricted to a 60-square mile area and is supported by fleet operations partner Moove, which handles vehicle charging and cleaning, as reported by City AM. Nearly 10,000 Miami residents have already registered to use the service, which has been deployed on an invitation-only basis.
Waymo’s expansion into London occurs whilst US regulators investigate incidents in Austin, Texas, where its vehicles were discovered to have illegally passed stationary school buses.
Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have launched investigations.
Waymo responded by deploying a software update across more than 3,000 vehicles to rectify the issue, whilst keeping the cars operational. The firm maintained that no collisions occurred and insisted its driverless technology outperforms human motorists, although Austin authorities have demanded stricter controls.
The probe is expected to intensify scrutiny in the UK, where Waymo’s presence in London has highlighted how near the company is to launching commercial operations.
Government ministers have championed trials of autonomous vehicles as a means to enhance transport access and draw investment.
Having clocked up more than 100 million miles and delivered approximately 14 million fare-paying journeys worldwide, Waymo holds a commanding position in the commercial robotaxi sector.
