Wayve, Uber, and Nissan Partner to Advance Robotaxi Development and Pilot Autonomous Ride Service in Tokyo
Three major players in the global mobility and technology sectors—Wayve, Uber, and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.—have announced a new collaboration aimed at accelerating the development and deployment of autonomous robotaxi services. The companies confirmed they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together on integrating advanced artificial intelligence–powered driving technology with modern electric vehicles and ride-hailing platforms.
As part of the agreement, the partners will begin preparations for a pilot robotaxi deployment in Tokyo by late 2026. The pilot program will introduce autonomous vehicles based on the Nissan LEAF, equipped with Wayve’s advanced AI driving system. Once operational, these vehicles will be accessible to riders through the Uber platform, marking a significant step toward bringing fully autonomous ride services to one of the world’s most complex urban transportation environments.
Expanding the Global Robotaxi Ecosystem
The collaboration represents a milestone for Uber, as it marks the company’s first autonomous vehicle partnership in Japan. It also builds on a growing global initiative between Wayve and Uber to roll out robotaxi services in major cities worldwide. The two companies have previously announced plans to expand autonomous mobility services across more than ten cities globally, including London.
Through the newly announced partnership, the companies aim to combine their respective expertise. Wayve will contribute its cutting-edge AI driving technology, Nissan will provide advanced electric vehicles and automotive engineering, and Uber will deliver the ride-hailing platform and large-scale customer network that connects riders with transportation services.
The result is expected to be a fully integrated robotaxi system that merges vehicle technology, artificial intelligence, and mobility platforms into a seamless user experience.
Integrating AI Driving Systems into Electric Vehicles
Under the collaboration framework, Wayve’s end-to-end AI autonomous driving system will be integrated directly into Nissan’s vehicle platform. The vehicles will be designed to accommodate the Wayve AI Driver, enabling the car to interpret its surroundings and navigate roads autonomously.
Once integrated, the robotaxis will connect to Uber’s ride-hailing network, allowing passengers to request autonomous rides through the familiar Uber mobile app. The platform will match riders with nearby robotaxi vehicles, enabling the service to function similarly to existing ride-hailing options.
The integration process is expected to combine hardware and software systems across the three companies. Nissan will provide the base electric vehicle and onboard automotive technology, Wayve will supply the AI-powered driving intelligence, and Uber will deliver the digital infrastructure necessary for ride matching, payments, and user experience.
Initial Pilot Phase with Safety Operators
The first phase of the project will involve pilot deployments designed to test the technology in real-world environments while ensuring safety and reliability. During this stage, the autonomous vehicles will operate on the Uber platform but will include trained safety operators seated inside the vehicles.
These operators will monitor the performance of the AI system and intervene if necessary, ensuring that the vehicles operate safely while the technology continues to learn and improve. This approach is commonly used in early autonomous vehicle deployments, allowing companies to gather data and refine systems before moving toward fully driverless operations.
Passengers participating in the pilot program will be able to experience autonomous transportation as part of their everyday travel, providing valuable feedback while helping the companies evaluate performance in live urban conditions.
Tokyo: A Challenging but Strategic Market
The companies selected Tokyo for the pilot program due to its global reputation as one of the most complex and demanding urban mobility environments. The city features dense traffic patterns, intricate road layouts, and extremely high expectations for safety and reliability.
Operating autonomous vehicles in Tokyo presents unique challenges, including crowded streets, complex intersections, and a variety of transportation systems interacting simultaneously. Successfully deploying robotaxis in such an environment could demonstrate the robustness of the technology and accelerate expansion to other cities around the world.
At the same time, Japan faces growing mobility challenges, including an aging population and a shortage of professional drivers. Autonomous mobility solutions have the potential to address these issues by providing new transportation options while supporting the long-term sustainability of urban transport networks.
AI Driving Technology Designed for Global Expansion
At the core of the robotaxi system is Wayve’s AI Driver technology. Unlike some autonomous driving systems that rely heavily on pre-mapped roads and high-definition mapping data, Wayve’s approach focuses on machine learning systems that learn directly from real-world driving experiences.
The AI Driver is designed to analyze data from sensors, cameras, and other inputs to understand the road environment and make driving decisions in real time. Because it learns from real-world data, the system can generalize its knowledge across new cities and road conditions without requiring extensive pre-mapping.
This capability allows the technology to scale more efficiently across global markets. Instead of mapping each city in detail before deployment, the system can adapt to new environments and continuously improve through learning.
Such adaptability is particularly important in dynamic urban environments like Tokyo, where road conditions, traffic patterns, and pedestrian behaviors can change rapidly.
Industry Leaders Comment on the Collaboration
Alex Kendall, Co-founder and CEO of Wayve, highlighted the importance of Japan as a technology and mobility market.
“Tokyo represents a major step forward in bringing embodied intelligence to one of the world’s most advanced mobility ecosystems,” Kendall said. “Since early 2025, we have been testing our technology across Japan to gain experience with the country’s distinctive road environments. Partnering with Uber and Nissan to launch a pilot robotaxi deployment allows us to introduce autonomous mobility responsibly while continuing to learn and expand our technology.”
For Nissan, the collaboration reflects its broader strategy to integrate intelligent mobility technologies into its vehicle portfolio.
Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., emphasized the importance of the initiative for the company’s long-term vision.
“Nissan is proud to participate in this new chapter of mobility innovation,” Espinosa said. “Our collaboration with Wayve has already helped us explore the integration of advanced AI technology into our vehicles. Expanding this work to include a robotaxi pilot program in Tokyo brings together Wayve’s AI capabilities, Uber’s global platform, and Nissan’s electric vehicles. Our vision is to bring mobility intelligence into everyday life, and this project demonstrates how that vision can become reality.”
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi also stressed the strategic importance of autonomous mobility for the company’s future platform.
“Autonomous mobility is becoming an increasingly important component of the Uber ecosystem,” Khosrowshahi said. “We are excited to expand our partnership with Wayve and collaborate with Nissan to bring robotaxi services to Tokyo. After our planned pilot deployment in London, expanding into Tokyo allows us to introduce new ways of traveling in some of the world’s largest cities.”
Khosrowshahi also noted that Japan remains a crucial market for Uber as the company continues to develop innovative transportation solutions.
“This initiative reflects our long-term commitment to Japan,” he said. “Technological innovation can help address driver shortages while supporting the future of urban mobility. Our goal is to give riders more transportation options through the Uber app.”
Collaboration with Local Partners and Authorities
Uber plans to launch the robotaxi service through a licensed taxi partner in Japan, ensuring that the deployment aligns with local regulations and transportation policies. The company is currently working with authorities and potential partners as part of the process of selecting a licensed operator for the service.
Regulatory compliance will be a critical factor in the pilot program, as Japan maintains strict safety and operational standards for autonomous vehicle technologies.
Prototype Robotaxi Unveiled
Alongside the partnership announcement, the companies revealed an early look at the robotaxi prototype based on the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle platform. The prototype integrates Wayve’s AI Driver system and advanced sensors designed to support autonomous driving capabilities.
The unveiling provides an initial glimpse into what future robotaxi services may look like when deployed at scale.
A Shared Vision for the Future of Autonomous Mobility
The collaboration between Wayve, Uber, and Nissan highlights a shared ambition to accelerate the development and deployment of safe, intelligent autonomous mobility solutions worldwide.
By combining Wayve’s artificial intelligence technology, Nissan’s electric vehicle expertise, and Uber’s global ride-hailing network, the partners aim to bring robotaxi services to major cities across the globe.
If successful, the Tokyo pilot program could pave the way for broader expansion, demonstrating how AI-powered vehicles can transform urban transportation and reshape the future of mobility.
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