Wayve raises $1.2bn Series D to scale robotaxi plans

Funding and Valuation - UK-based autonomous driving startup Wayve has secured $1.2 billion in Series D funding at a post-money valuation of $8.6 billion [1] - Including milestone-based capital commitments from Uber, the total funds raised in this round amount to $1.5 billion [1][2] - The funding round was led by venture firms Eclipse, Balderton, and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from existing backers Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Uber, as well as automotive partners Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Stellantis [1][2] Strategic Partnerships and Commercial Plans - Wayve aims to shift from research-focused development to scaled commercial rollout of its autonomous driving technology with global automotive and mobility partners [2] - Uber and Wayve plan to introduce their first commercial robotaxi offering in London by 2026, with expansion into more than ten markets thereafter [2] - Under the partnership, Wayve will provide its AI Driver software for Level 4-capable vehicles, while Uber will manage fleet ownership and operations [3] Technology and Deployment - Wayve licenses its AI Driver directly to manufacturers, allowing for vehicle-specific adaptation without reliance on high-definition maps [4] - The company plans to roll out supervised autonomy software in consumer vehicles starting in 2027, initially offering Level 2+ "hands-off" functionality [3][4] - Wayve's system has operated "zero-shot" across more than 500 cities in Europe, North America, and Japan over the past year, supported by training data from over 70 countries [5]