Fresh off a $1.2 billion funding round, U.K.-based autonomous vehicle software company Wayve is teaming up with Uber and Nissan to launch a robotaxi service in Tokyo, with a pilot scheduled for late 2026.
The companies said the deal will see Wayve integrating its AI-powered, self-driving software into a Nissan Leaf, which will be available on Uber’s ride-hail network. This is Uber’s first robotaxi partnership in Japan, and also the latest in a series of deals that the ride-hail giant and Wayve have in the pipeline.
Wayve claims its autonomous software can work on any vehicle, with any hardware, and without the use of an HD map. The startup is juggling a lot: It’s working on launching another robotaxi service in London with Uber, and is also integrating its driver-assistance tech in Nissan vehicles slated for production in 2027.
Uber, meanwhile, keeps scooping up partners around the world as it seeks to become the go-to app for hailing self-driving taxis. It has struck more than 25 of these partnerships to date. Earlier this week, it announced plans to make Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxi available on the Uber app in Las Vegas later this year.
