Uber has launched an interest list for customers in the United Kingdom seeking early access to autonomous rides, a move that signals preparations for a potential robotaxi rollout in London in partnership with Wayve.

The new feature,
announced on Monday in London, allows riders to register their interest in being matched with a Wayve-powered autonomous vehicle through the Uber app. The companies also showcased a branded black Ford Mustang Mach-E equipped with Wayve’s self-driving system.

While Wayve is responsible for the vehicle’s autonomous driving technology, Uber said it is designing the in-car experience, including interactive touchscreens that support 64 languages and manage passenger interaction during trips.
Uber has not given a firm launch date for the service, saying only that it expects deployment in the coming months, subject to regulatory approval.

Once launched, riders requesting trips in London could be automatically assigned an autonomous vehicle at no extra cost compared with a standard ride.

Users will also be able to improve their chances of being matched with a robotaxi by selecting autonomous vehicles in their app preferences, and may opt out if assigned one.

The Wayve vehicles will initially operate with a human safety operator onboard, before transitioning to fully driverless service over time, according to the company.

The rollout comes as competition in the autonomous mobility market intensifies.

Waymo has also begun testing in London, deploying around 100 autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles across a 100-square-mile area with safety operators in April.

The developments add a competitive dimension to Uber’s broader autonomous strategy, particularly given its evolving relationship with Waymo in the United States