Uber and China's Pony.ai plan to bring robotaxis to London, starting with tests of Pony.ai's latest vehicles in the coming weeks, TechCrunch reported Thursday. The move puts a Chinese autonomous driving system on British roads as Uber lines up several self-driving partners for the city.

What Happened

The test fleet will use Pony.ai's seventh-generation robotaxi, built on the Arcfox Alpha T5, a car developed with Chinese automaker BAIC. The companies did not give a date for a commercial service.

They also have not said who will own and operate the London vehicles. In Zagreb, Croatia, where the two companies launched a service in August, the work is split three ways: Pony.ai supplies the vehicles and driving system, Verne, a startup backed by Rimac Group, owns and runs the fleet, and Uber provides access to riders through its app.

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TechCrunch did not report details on U.K. regulatory approvals or on whether safety drivers will be on board during testing.

Why It Matters

London would be one of the most demanding cities yet for Pony.ai, with dense traffic, narrow streets and left-hand driving. It is also a step into a major Western market for a Chinese self-driving company at a time when the U.S. has moved to bar Chinese software from connected cars on security grounds.

For Uber, the deal is part of a strategy of spreading its bets. The company works with more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies, TechCrunch said, and expects to offer autonomous trips in about 15 cities worldwide by the end of 2026. Uber and Pony.ai have said they plan to deploy 2,000 robotaxis across Europe, starting with Zagreb.

A Crowded London Market

Uber is also an investor in British startup Wayve, which raised $1.2 billion in February from backers including Microsoft, Nvidia and Uber. TechCrunch said a further $300 million depends on Wayve deploying robotaxis in London, where it and Uber plan their own service. Alphabet's Waymo said last year that it intends to launch in London as well.

The British government passed the Automated Vehicles Act in 2024 to set rules for self-driving cars and has said it wants commercial pilot services running in 2026, giving operators a window to establish themselves in the city.

Pony.ai's Footprint

Pony.ai runs robotaxi services in four Chinese cities. It first partnered with Uber in May 2025, initially in the Middle East, and is developing service in Qatar. Uber has separate robotaxi arrangements in Dubai with Baidu and WeRide, two of Pony.ai's Chinese rivals.

What to Watch

The open items are the start date of London testing, the name of the fleet operator and the regulatory sign-off needed before paying passengers can ride. The pace of Wayve's and Waymo's London plans will show whether Uber's riders in the city end up choosing among several driverless providers.