Yes, it does seem likely that USA based Waymo aims to launch driverless (or mostly driverless) robotaxi services in London, but there are some caveats. It’s not absolutely certain yet.

✅ What the reports say

Waymo plans to launch in London in 2026
Waymo has officially announced that it intends to bring its fully driverless ride-hailing (robotaxi) service to London in 2026.

Testing first with safety drivers
Before the fully driverless component, Waymo will begin operating supervised robotaxis (i.e. with safety drivers) in London to collect data, map areas, test the system etc.

Regulatory and pilot programs
The UK government is developing/regulating frameworks for driverless/autonomous vehicles. There are plans for pilot schemes for small-scale autonomous taxi and bus services starting in spring 2026.

Partnerships
Waymo is teaming with Moove

⚠️ What is not yet confirmed / what might delay

Fully driverless service (without safety drivers): While Waymo intends to move to fully driverless operations, there will still be a period where safety drivers are present. Removing human oversight in all operations depends on regulatory approval.

Exact launch date: “2026” is the year given, but the precise timing (which part of the year, what areas of London first, how many vehicles etc.) is not fully specified.

Regulations and permissions: Waymo needs to get permissions from Transport for London and national regulators. UK laws (e.g. the Automated Vehicles Act) and local safety requirements will play a big role in whether/when fully autonomous robotaxis can legally operate without a safety driver.

🔍 Verdict: “Can” vs “Will”

Can Waymo launch driverless taxis in London next year (i.e. 2026)? Yes, it seems technically feasible and is the target.

Will they definitely do so at scale, fully driverless, with wide coverage? That’s less certain. The scale, timing, and regulatory approval are still in progress.