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UK Enters the Robotaxi Era as Wayve Launches Self-Driving Ubers

The future of urban transportation has officially arrived in the UK. Uber users across London can now order a self-driving taxi, marking the country’s first commercial autonomous ride-hailing service.

The new service is the result of a partnership between ride-hailing giant Uber and British autonomous driving technology company Wayve. For the initial rollout, passengers may be matched with a driverless Ford Mustang Mach-E equipped with Wayve’s latest-generation AI Driver technology.

Although a trained human safety driver will initially occupy the front seat and supervise every journey, the launch represents a significant step toward fully autonomous taxis operating on London’s busy streets.

Wayve’s self-driving Ford Mustang Mach-E is now available through Uber

Unlike traditional taxis, Wayve’s autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E does not rely on a conventional driver to control the vehicle. Instead, the car uses Wayve’s artificial intelligence-based autonomous driving system to interpret its surroundings, make decisions and navigate London’s roads.

Uber users ordering a ride anywhere across the capital can potentially be matched with one of Wayve’s autonomous vehicles. There is currently one important exception: the service does not operate from London’s airports.

The rollout follows Transport for London’s decision last month to grant Wayve’s vehicles a private hire licence, clearing the way for the company’s autonomous cars to begin carrying passengers commercially.

For Wayve, the launch is the culmination of extensive testing on London’s roads. The company has spent roughly a year testing its latest autonomous driving technology in real-world traffic conditions.

What makes Wayve’s AV 2.0 technology different?

Wayve calls its latest autonomous driving system “AV 2.0,” and the technology takes a different approach from many earlier self-driving systems.

Traditional autonomous vehicles have often relied heavily on detailed maps, predefined rules and extensive sensor hardware. Wayve’s system instead places artificial intelligence at the center of the driving process.

The AI Driver has been trained using data gathered from real-world driving and is designed to make decisions when it encounters situations it has not explicitly been programmed to handle.

That distinction could prove particularly important in a city like London.

The capital has an extraordinarily complex road environment, with narrow streets, cyclists, pedestrians, buses, motorcycles, delivery vehicles, temporary road closures and constantly changing traffic patterns. A self-driving system capable of responding to unfamiliar situations could have a major advantage over technology that depends heavily on predetermined instructions.

Wayve also claims that its AI-first approach can reduce the amount of expensive hardware required by autonomous vehicles.

Wayve aims to eliminate the need for heavily geofenced robotaxis

One of the most significant aspects of Wayve’s technology is its potential ability to operate outside tightly controlled geographical boundaries.

Many autonomous taxi services initially operate within relatively small geofenced areas where the vehicles have been extensively tested and mapped.

Wayve’s approach is designed to be more flexible.

Because the AI Driver can apply knowledge learned from years of real-world driving to new situations, the company believes its vehicles can potentially operate in unfamiliar environments without requiring every road to be extensively pre-programmed.

That technology is a key reason why Wayve can launch its Uber service across London rather than limiting the first deployment to a small section of the city.

The implications extend well beyond London. If the technology proves reliable at scale, autonomous vehicles could potentially be introduced into new cities more quickly and with less dependence on highly detailed geographic preparation.

What happens when you order a self-driving Uber?

For passengers, ordering a Wayve autonomous taxi is intended to be relatively straightforward.

The journey begins in the Uber app, just like a conventional ride. If a passenger is matched with an autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E, the app provides the necessary instructions for accessing the vehicle.

Passengers can unlock the doors and begin the trip through the Uber application before taking their seats.

Inside the vehicle, a touchscreen allows passengers to monitor the journey and see information about the vehicle’s progress.

Despite the car being capable of driving itself, passengers will initially have a trained and TfL-certified safety driver sitting in the front.

The safety driver is there to supervise the autonomous system and intervene if necessary.

That human presence is temporary, however. Wayve has not yet confirmed exactly when its London vehicles will begin operating without a person in the driver’s seat.

Only 15 autonomous Mustang Mach-Es are operating in London

For now, passengers should not expect to see a Wayve self-driving taxi every time they open the Uber app.

Only around 15 autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles are currently operating in London. Considering that Uber has approximately 100,000 vehicles operating in the capital, the odds of being randomly assigned one remain relatively low.

However, the small initial fleet is not intended to remain that way.

Wayve plans to expand its autonomous vehicle operation as it works toward its larger ambition of becoming a major global provider of autonomous mobility.

The London launch is therefore less about the number of vehicles on the road today and more about proving that autonomous ride-hailing can work in one of the world’s most complicated urban driving environments.

London is just the beginning for Wayve and Uber

The UK capital is the first of 12 cities included in Wayve and Uber’s planned global autonomous ride-hailing expansion.

The companies are expected to begin offering autonomous rides in Tokyo later this year, where modified Nissan Leaf electric vehicles will be used.

Uber has much broader ambitions of its own.

The company has said it wants to become the world’s largest facilitator of autonomous vehicle trips by 2029. It also plans to offer autonomous rides in 15 cities by the end of this year.

Importantly, Uber does not describe this future as one in which human drivers simply disappear.

Instead, the company envisions a “hybrid network” in which autonomous vehicles operate alongside conventional cars driven by people.

That could ultimately create a transportation system where passengers are matched with either a human-driven vehicle or an autonomous vehicle depending on availability, location, price and other factors.

For Uber, such a model could allow autonomous vehicles to supplement rather than completely replace its existing driver network.

Uber is expanding its autonomous vehicle partnerships

Wayve is not Uber’s only autonomous-driving partner.

The company has also partnered with Verne, the autonomous mobility subsidiary associated with Rimac, as well as Chinese robotaxi company Pony.ai.

Those partnerships form part of Uber’s broader strategy to build an autonomous mobility ecosystem rather than developing a single proprietary self-driving vehicle.

The approach could allow Uber to work with multiple autonomous vehicle manufacturers and technology companies in different markets.

Europe is already becoming an important testing ground for that strategy. Uber, Verne and Pony.ai recently announced plans to offer autonomous ride-hailing in Zagreb, Croatia.

Waymo is also preparing to launch self-driving taxis in London

Wayve and Uber may have reached the UK market first, but they are not alone in the race to bring autonomous taxis to London.

Google’s autonomous driving company Waymo has also been testing self-driving Jaguar I-Pace vehicles on London’s streets.

Waymo has been conducting testing in the capital for several months and is targeting a September launch for its own autonomous ride-hailing service.

However, the company’s London testing has already demonstrated one of the major challenges facing autonomous vehicles in real-world cities: not every problem can be solved in a laboratory.

Waymo was recently forced to adjust its routes after residents on a street in east London complained about vehicles repeatedly becoming stuck, reversing and sounding a loud warning siren during nighttime testing.

The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of deploying autonomous vehicles in densely populated urban environments.

A self-driving car may be able to navigate a complicated junction perfectly, yet still encounter unexpected challenges caused by road layouts, parked vehicles, pedestrians, construction or even the reaction of local residents.

Are self-driving taxis finally becoming mainstream?

The arrival of Wayve’s autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles on Uber is an important moment for the automotive industry.

Self-driving technology has been tested for years, but commercial deployment remains one of the biggest challenges facing autonomous vehicle developers.

London presents a particularly demanding test.

Unlike purpose-built autonomous vehicle testing environments, the capital combines historic roads with modern traffic systems, unpredictable pedestrian behavior, cyclists, buses, construction zones and extremely dense urban traffic.

Successfully operating autonomous taxis in that environment could therefore provide valuable evidence about whether AI-based driving systems are ready to move beyond controlled demonstrations and into everyday transportation.

The biggest question is no longer whether autonomous vehicles can drive themselves under the right conditions. The more important question is whether they can reliably handle the enormous variety of situations encountered on ordinary city streets.

Wayve believes its AI Driver technology can do exactly that.

The future of London transportation is taking shape

For passengers, the first Wayve-powered Uber rides may feel like a novelty. For the automotive and transportation industries, however, the launch is considerably more significant.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E autonomous taxis now operating in London represent the beginning of a potentially much larger transition from human-controlled transportation toward AI-assisted and eventually fully autonomous mobility.

The technology still faces regulatory, technical and public-acceptance challenges. The presence of a safety driver during the initial phase demonstrates that fully driverless operation has not yet arrived in London.

But the direction of travel is clear.

Wayve and Uber have put autonomous ride-hailing into commercial service on one of Europe’s busiest and most challenging road networks. With more vehicles, additional cities and new autonomous-driving partnerships planned, the London launch could prove to be the first chapter in a much bigger transformation of how people move around cities.

For now, the next time a London Uber passenger sees a Ford Mustang Mach-E approaching, there is a chance there may be no one actually driving it.

Source: Autocar

News

Which SUVs Are Being Discontinued in 2027?

The SUV boom shows no sign of slowing down. What was once a niche body style has become the dominant force in the European new-car market, reshaping manufacturers’ product strategies and pushing traditional vehicle segments further into the background.

But even in the world’s most popular automotive segment, success is never guaranteed.

Several familiar SUVs are approaching the end of their road, with some models scheduled to disappear from production as early as the end of 2026, while others are expected to remain in showrooms only until 2027. Falling sales, increasingly demanding safety regulations, electrification strategies and changing consumer preferences are all playing a role.

The SUV market may be booming, but there is simply not enough room for every model.

SUVs now dominate the European car market

The numbers tell the story better than almost anything else.

SUVs accounted for roughly 40 percent of new-car sales in Europe in 2020. Today, their share has climbed to around 60 percent, making the SUV by far the most important vehicle category for many manufacturers.

The trend covers virtually every segment, from small urban crossovers and compact family SUVs to large luxury models and electric SUVs.

With almost every major manufacturer now offering multiple SUVs, competition has become extremely intense. A model can have a respected name, a long history and a loyal customer base, yet still be eliminated if sales volumes no longer justify keeping it in production.

That is exactly what is happening to several recognizable SUVs.

Land Rover Discovery Sport: a victim of falling sales and tougher regulations

One of the names expected to disappear is the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

The Discovery Sport has occupied an important position in the Land Rover lineup for years. Positioned as a more accessible alternative to the brand’s larger and more expensive SUVs, it was designed to attract buyers who wanted the Land Rover image without stepping into the highest price brackets.

However, the model is now facing two major problems: declining demand and increasingly strict European regulations.

The European Union’s GSR2 safety regulations have introduced significantly tougher requirements for new vehicles. Meeting those requirements can be particularly challenging for older vehicle architectures, and updating an existing model to comply with every new regulation can become difficult to justify financially.

For the Discovery Sport, the result appears to be the end of the road.

The decision is also part of a broader transformation at Jaguar Land Rover, which is repositioning Jaguar, Range Rover, Defender and Discovery more distinctly as individual brands.

The Discovery Sport’s departure therefore represents more than the end of a single model. It is another sign that JLR is simplifying and reshaping its product strategy for a rapidly changing automotive market.

Ford Kuga: a successful SUV that still couldn’t escape the axe

The Ford Kuga is another established SUV approaching the end of its current production run.

After three generations, the Kuga is expected to cease production at the end of 2026. That decision will have a direct impact on Ford’s Almussafes factory in Spain, where the Kuga has been produced.

On paper, the Kuga might seem like an unlikely candidate for cancellation.

The compact SUV has been one of Ford’s most successful models in Europe and has enjoyed particularly strong demand for its plug-in hybrid versions. In fact, the Kuga has repeatedly ranked among Europe’s best-selling plug-in hybrid models.

Within Ford’s European lineup, only the Puma has sold more units in recent years.

Yet the automotive industry is not driven by sales figures alone. Production costs, factory capacity, electrification plans and future product strategies can be just as important.

There may, however, be life after the Kuga.

Reports suggest that Ford could eventually revive the Kuga name on a new electrified SUV based on technology from Geely, potentially using the Starray EM-i platform. If that happens, the Kuga could return in a very different form, reflecting the growing cooperation and technological links between global automakers.

For now, however, the current Kuga’s story appears to be coming to an end.

Volkswagen Tiguan and the uncertain future of the ID.5

Volkswagen is also reconsidering its SUV strategy as it accelerates its transition toward electric vehicles.

The future of the next-generation Tiguan has reportedly been the subject of debate, with two potential directions under consideration.

One possibility is to retain the Tiguan name and introduce an updated model. Another, increasingly likely, option would be to align the vehicle more closely with Volkswagen’s electric naming strategy.

That could result in the model becoming the Volkswagen ID. Tiguan from 2027.

The potential change illustrates just how quickly Volkswagen’s model naming strategy is evolving. The company is attempting to balance familiar names that carry decades of brand recognition with the new ID. identity associated with its electric vehicles.

At the same time, another Volkswagen SUV appears to have a less certain future.

Volkswagen ID.5 could disappear in 2027

The Volkswagen ID.5 was designed to combine the practicality of an SUV with the sleeker profile of a coupe-style crossover.

It was an important part of Volkswagen’s strategy to expand its electric SUV family, but sales have not reached the levels the company originally hoped for.

Even though the ID.5 has experienced sales growth during the last two years, its overall numbers have remained insufficient to secure a long-term future.

Current expectations point toward production ending around the middle of 2027.

That would leave Volkswagen with one fewer electric SUV in a segment that has become increasingly crowded. Ironically, the same market trend that created the opportunity for the ID.5 is also making it harder for models like it to survive.

Tesla Model X: the electric SUV pioneer nearing the end

Perhaps the most recognizable name on this list is the Tesla Model X.

When Tesla introduced the Model X, it was unlike almost anything else on the market. Its large electric SUV body, impressive performance and distinctive falcon-wing doors helped establish it as one of the company’s technological showcases.

But the Model X never achieved the commercial success of the Model S or, particularly, the Model Y.

The Model Y became one of the most important electric vehicles in the world, while the Model X remained an expensive, relatively niche product.

Its unconventional doors were one of its biggest talking points, but they also contributed to production complexity and early delivery delays. Over time, Tesla made several updates to the Model X, but never gave it the kind of comprehensive redesign that many other manufacturers would have used to extend a vehicle’s life.

That appears to have finally caught up with the Model X.

Tesla has confirmed the end of production, bringing the story of one of the most distinctive electric SUVs to a close.

Why are popular SUVs disappearing?

The cancellation of these SUVs may appear surprising given the continuing growth of the segment, but there is a straightforward explanation.

Manufacturers are no longer competing simply on the number of SUVs they can offer. They are trying to determine which SUVs are profitable, future-proof and compatible with increasingly strict regulations.

Several factors are accelerating the process:

  • Tougher European safety regulations
  • Rapid electrification of vehicle lineups
  • Increasing development and production costs
  • Stronger competition within the SUV segment
  • Changing consumer preferences
  • Pressure to reduce the number of overlapping models
  • The need to use factories and platforms more efficiently

A manufacturer can therefore decide to eliminate an SUV even when the vehicle remains popular.

The key question is no longer simply, “Does it sell?”

It is, “Does it sell enough to justify its place in the future lineup?”

The SUV boom will not save every SUV

The disappearance of the Discovery Sport, Kuga, ID.5 and Model X demonstrates an important reality of today’s automotive industry.

SUVs are more popular than ever, but that popularity has created an extremely competitive environment. Manufacturers are filling their lineups with crossovers and SUVs, and consumers have more choices than ever before.

As a result, weaker-performing models are increasingly vulnerable.

The next few years could bring even more cancellations as automakers reorganize their lineups around electric platforms, stricter regulations and fewer but more strategically important models.

Some familiar names will undoubtedly return in new forms. Others will disappear permanently.

For drivers, that means the SUV market of 2027 could look surprisingly different from the one we know today.

The SUV may have won the battle for consumer popularity—but that does not mean every SUV will survive the industry’s next transformation.

News

Ford Confirms New SUV Based on Geely’s Electric Vehicle Platform

Ford is preparing a new compact SUV that could mark one of the most unexpected collaborations in the European automotive industry. The upcoming model will use Geely’s Global Intelligent Electric Architecture (GEA), combining Ford’s design and brand identity with technology developed by one of China’s largest automotive groups.

The new details shed further light on a strategic partnership between Ford and Geely that is set to reshape production at Ford’s Valencia factory in Spain. The agreement, finalized in July, will see Geely begin manufacturing vehicles at the Ford-owned facility, which has operated significantly below its potential capacity for several years.

The partnership is expected to bring new investment and production activity to the Spanish plant while giving both manufacturers access to technologies and manufacturing capabilities that would be more difficult to develop independently.

Ford’s New SUV Will Be Based on Geely’s GEA Platform

The biggest revelation is that Ford will use Geely’s Global Intelligent Electric Architecture for a new compact crossover.

Geely Auto Group chairman An Conghui confirmed the plan during an earnings call, according to Automotive News. The GEA platform already underpins several Geely vehicles, including the electric EX5 and plug-in hybrid Starray.

For Ford, adopting the architecture provides access to a modern platform designed to accommodate multiple powertrain configurations. That could allow the new SUV to be offered with both electrified hybrid technology and a fully electric powertrain.

Ford has described the vehicle as a “multi-energy” compact crossover, suggesting that the company is deliberately avoiding an all-electric-only strategy.

That approach could prove particularly important in Europe, where demand for electric vehicles continues to develop unevenly and manufacturers are increasingly looking at flexible platforms capable of supporting several types of powertrains.

Rally-Inspired Styling Could Set the Ford Apart

Although the new Ford SUV will share its underlying architecture with Geely models, Ford appears determined to give it a distinct identity.

The company has indicated that the crossover will feature “rally-bred” styling. That description suggests a more aggressive and performance-oriented design than the typical compact electric SUV.

Ford has a long history of leveraging rally-inspired design and engineering for its road cars, particularly through models such as the Ford Puma and various performance-oriented derivatives. The new vehicle could therefore bring some of that visual character into Ford’s next generation of electrified compact SUVs.

Importantly, sharing Geely’s platform does not mean the Ford will simply be a rebadged Geely.

Instead, the partnership appears to follow a growing industry trend in which manufacturers share expensive underlying technologies while developing distinctive exterior designs, interiors, software and driving characteristics for their respective brands.

Geely Will Build Vehicles at Ford’s Valencia Factory

The partnership is particularly significant because Geely will manufacture vehicles at Ford’s Valencia plant.

Ford’s Spanish factory has been operating well below its annual production capacity for several years. Bringing Geely products to the facility could therefore provide a major boost to utilization and help secure the plant’s long-term future.

The all-electric Geely EX2 is expected to be among the first Geely models produced at Valencia, although it will not be the only vehicle manufactured there.

Geely has previously confirmed plans to build two new-energy models at the Spanish facility, with the first expected to enter production in 2028.

The company has also stated that the joint venture is expected to produce three Ford-branded multi-energy vehicles, although it has not yet revealed the complete lineup.

That leaves open the possibility that Ford and Geely are planning a broader product strategy than the single compact crossover currently known.

Ford Bronco SUV Will Join the Valencia Lineup

The new Geely-based Ford SUV will reportedly be built alongside another important Ford model: a Bronco-branded SUV.

The Bronco model is expected to arrive around 2028, although it will use a different platform from the Geely-based crossover.

That distinction is important because it suggests Ford is pursuing two separate SUV strategies at Valencia. One will rely on Geely technology and focus on a compact, multi-energy crossover, while the other will use a separate architecture and carry the increasingly valuable Bronco name.

Ford has been expanding the Bronco family as it seeks to capitalize on growing demand for rugged SUVs with strong brand identities.

Adding another Bronco-branded vehicle could give Ford an opportunity to compete in another segment while preserving the distinctive positioning of the Bronco name.

Why Ford and Geely Are Working Together

The Ford-Geely partnership reflects a broader transformation taking place across the global automotive industry.

Developing new electric platforms, batteries, software architectures and manufacturing systems requires enormous investment. At the same time, automakers are under pressure to reduce costs and bring new vehicles to market faster.

Strategic partnerships can help manufacturers spread those costs while accessing technology that might otherwise take years to develop.

For Geely, the agreement represents an opportunity to expand its manufacturing footprint in Europe and strengthen its presence in the European market.

For Ford, the partnership provides access to Geely’s modern GEA architecture while allowing the company to use an existing European production facility more efficiently.

Geely Auto Group vice president Alex Nan described the cooperation as an important step toward greater collaboration between the two companies and said it would further strengthen Geely’s European presence.

What We Know About Ford’s New Geely-Based SUV

At this stage, Ford has not revealed the vehicle’s name, final design, pricing or complete technical specifications.

However, several key details are now emerging.

The new Ford SUV is expected to be:

  • A compact crossover
  • Based on Geely’s Global Intelligent Electric Architecture
  • Available with multi-energy powertrains
  • Expected to include hybrid and fully electric versions
  • Designed with rally-inspired styling
  • Built at Ford’s Valencia factory in Spain
  • Expected to enter production as part of the companies’ broader 2028 strategy

The use of Geely’s GEA platform could also give Ford considerable flexibility when determining battery sizes, electric powertrains and hybrid configurations.

More technical information should emerge as development progresses.

A Potentially Important New Chapter for Ford in Europe

Ford and Geely’s Spanish partnership is more than a simple manufacturing agreement. It represents a significant change in how two major automotive groups are approaching the European market.

Ford gains access to Geely’s electric vehicle technology and a flexible vehicle architecture, while Geely gains additional European manufacturing capacity and a deeper industrial presence on the continent.

The biggest question now is how Ford will translate Geely’s technology into a vehicle that feels unmistakably like a Ford.

If the company succeeds, the new crossover could become one of the most interesting examples of cross-border automotive cooperation in the next generation of European vehicles.

With production expected to begin around 2028, Ford’s Geely-based SUV is still several years away. But the combination of Ford’s rally-inspired design language, Geely’s GEA platform and production in Spain could make this one of the more closely watched new Ford models as the European automotive market enters a rapidly changing era.

Source: Auto News