UK Government signs partnership with Wayve to accelerate self‑driving technology

The UK Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with London-based autonomous driving company Wayve to deepen collaboration on the development and responsible deployment of self‑driving technology, in a move officials say will bolster Britain’s position in AI-enabled mobility and advanced automotive manufacturing.

image: Wayve - Alex Kendall with Business Secretary Peter Kyle

The agreement, published by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), focuses on joint research into safety assurance, large‑scale simulation, and integrating full self‑driving technology into production‑ready vehicle platforms, with the goal of moving from pilots to commercially viable services on UK roads.

Under the MoU, Wayve will share insights from real‑world trials with government and regulators to inform future rules, standards, and potential national rollout of automated passenger services. The collaboration also aligns with the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, aiming to anchor investment and skilled jobs in the UK while strengthening domestic supply chains in AI, systems integration and advanced automotive hardware.

The partnership is intended to support the UK’s ambition to become a global hub for automated vehicle manufacturing and Europe’s first market for self‑driving services.

In February, Wayve announced a $1.5bn Series D funding round backed by major technology and automotive investors, including Microsoft, Nvidia, Uber and several carmakers, in one of the largest UK tech financings to date. The company plans to start supervised robotaxi trials in London and aims to deploy its software more broadly in consumer vehicles, although timelines remain subject to regulatory approvals and operational readiness.

The government’s announcement emphasises that safety and public confidence remain central to any deployment path, with the MoU highlighting collaboration on trusted assurance methods and the scaling of both real‑world and simulated testing before wider rollout.

The DBT and Wayve said they intend to work with other departments, local authorities, industry and academia to support skills development and contribute to international standards for safe and scalable automated driving. Both parties framed the partnership as part of a broader effort to convert the UK’s research strengths in AI and connected and automated mobility into commercial deployments that can drive investment, exports and job creation.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said, “This partnership with Wayve shows how government is backing high‑growth British scale‑ups through our Modern Industrial Strategy to turn world‑leading research into real‑world deployment. 

“By working hand‑in‑hand with innovative companies, we are accelerating self‑driving technology while anchoring jobs, investment and manufacturing here in the UK — making Britain the best place to start, scale and grow a business.”

Alex Kendall, Co-Founder and CEO, Wayve said, “We share the Government’s ambition to drive economic growth through the development of the self-driving vehicle sector in the UK and globally.

“Strengthening domestic capabilities will anchor high-value manufacturing in the UK, create thousands of skilled jobs across the supply chain, and support the future of the automotive industry.”