Wayve, a UK-based AI company, achieves a milestone as an autonomous vehicle navigates central London landmarks without manual intervention. The $1 billion funding secured signals UK’s leadership in AI innovation.
AI Autonomous Car Successfully Navigates Central London
Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO of Wayve, reported that an autonomous vehicle drove him around central London, navigating landmarks such as Trafalgar Square and Big Ben without manual intervention. During an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Kendall highlighted that Wayve’s technology, developed over seven years, empowers cars to make safe driving decisions autonomously.
The UK-based AI company recently secured $1 billion in funding, led by Softbank with support from Nvidia and Microsoft. This marks the largest investment in a UK AI firm to date. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak lauded the investment, emphasizing the UK’s leading role in the global AI sector.
Kendall addressed skepticism from industry figures like Peugeot’s Linda Jackson, ensuring that advancements in AI are accelerating the path to fully autonomous driving. He confirmed that safety operators currently supervise the system, but full autonomy is expected to become mainstream soon.
Founded in 2017, Wayve is noted for pioneering Embodied AI, which allows vehicles to interact with and learn from real-world environments, ensuring safe and efficient autonomous navigation on public roads.
