Wayve is significantly expanding its global robotaxi ambitions after securing a massive new funding round, positioning itself to compete head-to-head with Waymo in London and other key cities worldwide.
The UK-based autonomous vehicle software startup announced Tuesday that it has raised $1.5 billion from a combination of major technology companies and leading global automakers.
The investment marks one of the largest funding rounds in the autonomous driving sector in recent years and signals growing confidence in Wayve’s AI-first approach to self-driving technology.
The round values the company at $8.6 billion. Of the total capital raised, $1.2 billion came from high-profile backers including Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber, alongside automotive groups Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Stellantis. The diverse mix of investors reflects broad industry support, spanning cloud computing, AI hardware, ride-hailing platforms, and traditional car manufacturers.
With fresh capital in hand, Wayve aims to accelerate development of its autonomous driving software, expand international partnerships, and move closer to deploying commercial robotaxi services at scale — directly challenging established players like Waymo in major urban markets.