Uber has announced an investment in British self-driving technology startup Wayve to accelerate the development of autonomous vehicle projects.
The investment amount was not disclosed, but it will contribute to Wayve’s $1.05bn Series C funding.
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Announced in May, SoftBank Group led the round, which also saw participation from NVIDIA and Microsoft.
Wayve, founded in 2017, specialises in Embodied AI technology, which integrates artificial intelligence into robots and vehicles to transform how machines perceive, interpret, and learn from human behaviour in real-world environments.
The startup’s technology suite includes tools for fleet learning, data infrastructure, evaluation, and simulation, designed to refine AI models using both real-world and simulated data.
With Uber’s support, Wayve plans to expedite its collaborations with global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to enhance consumer vehicles with advanced driver assistance and automated driving capabilities.
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By GlobalDataAdditionally, Wayve is working towards the development of scalable Level 4 autonomous vehicles for potential future use on Uber’s platform.
Wayve’s approach to autonomous vehicles (AV) relies on mapless end-to-end AI technology, which allows vehicles to operate without geofenced restrictions.
The partnership between Uber and Wayve could eventually see Wayve-powered self-driving vehicles available to Uber’s global user base.
Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall said: “Wayve is building a ‘general purpose’ driving Al that can power all levels of driving automation in any type of vehicle, anywhere in the world.
“I am excited to be teaming up with Uber, the largest mobility network in the world, to massively ramp up our AI’s fleet learning, ensuring our AV technology is safe and ready for global deployment across Uber’s network. Together, we’re excited to work with Automotive OEMs to bring autonomous driving technologies to consumers sooner.”
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said: “Uber and Wayve share a vision of reimagining mobility for the better. Wayve’s advanced Embodied AI approach holds a ton of promise as we work towards a world where modern vehicles are shared, electric and autonomous.
“We are thrilled to bring Wayve on as a partner to work alongside automakers as we continue to build out Uber as the best network for self-driving vehicles.”
In July 2024, Uber partnered with BYD to develop “autonomous-capable vehicles” and to introduce 100,000 electric vehicles (EVs) to the ride-hailing service.
This collaboration aims to provide drivers with more affordable vehicle options and financing, starting in Europe and Latin America and later expanding to other regions.
