Paving the Way for Safe and Scalable Autonomous Driving

Every day, I am reminded of how essential transportation is to modern life. Mobility drives access to opportunity, human connection, and commerce. Now, it stands on the verge of a major transformation, with automation leading the way to make mobility more accessible, efficient, and safe for all. Realizing this change on a global scale is one the hardest problems of our generation—requiring not just scientific breakthroughs but also the design of new commercial models and intelligent new regulations. Success hinges on meaningful collaboration with technology partners, automakers, and governments to bring this technology to bear worldwide.

Wayve has been pioneering a scalable approach for autonomous driving using end-to-end AI since we were founded in 2017. We have also taken a partnership-first commercial approach focused on global scalability, regulatory readiness, strategic partnerships, and a flexible AI licensing model for automakers. These pillars ensure that our AI Driver product can (1) operate in multiple countries without relying on HD maps, (2) is compatible with a wide range of vehicles using existing sensors and on-board compute, and (3) enable automakers to increasingly unlock higher levels of automation, from Level 2+ driver assistance to Level 4 automated driving, as regulations and vehicle platforms advance. This scalable approach allows us to gather data from millions of vehicles globally to develop our AI for fully automated driving while partnering with automakers now to bring innovative and trusted product features to market— supporting the industry’s transition to a driverless future.

With this in mind, I’m excited to highlight our next company milestone—Wayve’s US expansion—and how it fits within our broader commercial approach.

US Expansion: Building Global Scalability

Our expansion into the US is a crucial step in advancing our path toward autonomy. By launching on-road tests in one of the largest and most diverse markets, we gain valuable insights that enhance our technology’s ability to scale globally. A core advantage of Wayve’s AV2.0 approach is its generalization—or ability to adapt to new places and vehicles. We are already training on diverse data from over 15 countries and are developing an AI Driver product that learns from diverse driving cultures, enhancing its ability to operate globally. Expanding into the US boosts our global data coverage, improves AI performance, and ensures that automakers can leverage the benefits of our technology across various markets. US testing complements our ongoing trials in the UK, giving us a distinct advantage over technologies that operate in geofenced areas. Our California office will also serve as a hub for road trips and operations around the US, another proof point for generalization.

Regulatory Readiness: Supporting Future Regulation

Getting regulation right is a crucial factor in the global rollout of automated driving technology. Our international testing program is enabling us to gather more evidence for effective engagement with governments to build comprehensive safety frameworks for deploying automated driving technology. This has been important to us for many years. Wayve is closely participating in the development of vehicle regulations with the UNECE, supporting the development of stringent technical regulations for a range of automation levels, including as co-secretary for UN Reg 171 – Driver Control Assistance Systems and as an industry co-pilot for Automated Driving Systems.

Beyond technical regulations, we believe consumer understanding and trust are paramount for the success of automated driving technologies. That’s why we’re also working with governments and regulatory bodies at a national level, contributing to the development of robust regulatory frameworks that prioritize safety and consumer protection, such as the UK’s Automated Vehicles Act 2024. Staying ahead of emerging regulations and standards also means paving new ground in the development of methodologies for the assurance of AI—we’re doing this through expert collaboration such as our Project DriveSafeAI.?

Strategic Partnerships: Building a Partner Ecosystem for AV2.0

To accelerate the development and deployment of AV2.0 technology globally, our strategy is rooted in collaboration across the AI value chain. Expanding our presence in the US brings us closer to our key partners—Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Uber—whose support in cloud computing, silicon, and mobility services is essential for scaling our AI technology. These partnerships allow us to stay laser-focused on building safe and trustworthy AI while leveraging the strengths of others in critical areas, driving faster development cycles as we bring our product to market. Microsoft Azure’s cloud enables us to rapidly scale AI model training, while NVIDIA’s automotive compute platforms provide the computational power needed to run large AI models in vehicles. Our collaboration with Uber advances our work with automakers, helping to bring AVs onto their global ridehail platform. Together, we are building a global ecosystem to bring AV2.0 to a wide range of vehicles across different regions, paving the way for the next generation of mobility.

Go-to-market: Flexible Licensing Model for Automakers

Wayve’s strategy focuses on developing the foundational AI model for driving that automakers can license and customize with their own data and vehicle specifications to create brand-specific driving models. Our Wayve Foundation Model can provide the core intelligence needed to operate vehicles in open environments and support all levels of autonomy. While we are testing our Level 2+ (“Hands-off, eyes-on”) features in California, elsewhere we are collaborating with global automakers to apply the same model to higher levels of automation, including Level 3 (“Hands-off, eyes-off”) driving functions, letting drivers hand over responsibility to the AI driver in certain conditions. Additionally, our AI Foundation Model can efficiently support advanced driver assistance features like automatic emergency braking, speed control, and lane positioning, allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel or be supported by system-initiated maneuvers, though they remain responsible for monitoring the driving task.

Since our AI software is compatible with various sensor and compute architectures, it can be integrated into automakers’ current and future vehicle programs. This enables us to scale quickly, delivering value to automakers and consumers while continuously improving our AI through global data training. As these vehicles operate in open, unconstrained environments, our AI learns from millions of real-world scenarios, including edge cases, which strengthen its capabilities and support Verification & Validation activities. This progress ultimately leads to supporting Level 4 and Level 5 autonomy, where humans are only passengers. As our AI reaches these levels, it can be updated over-the-air, allowing OEMs to gradually advance toward higher levels of autonomy.

The Road Ahead

As we expand globally, our focus is on building a safe, scalable, and commercially viable solution for autonomous driving. With our global testing program, strategic partnerships, and scalable AI product, we are positioned to lead the next generation of AV technology. From ADAS to full autonomy, we are committed to making autonomous driving a reality for everyone, everywhere.

Join Us at Wayve

At Wayve, our mission is bold, and the challenges we tackle are immense. If solving big problems excites you and you’re driven by the opportunity to make a real impact, we want to hear from you! We now have a huge focus on growth in Silicon Valley and are also hiring across the US, Canada, UK, and beyond for roles including machine learning engineers, automotive product and robotics experts, software developers, applied scientists, and vehicle safety operators, all working to accelerate the development of our AI Driver and Fleet Learning Technologies. We’ve created an environment where you can do the best work of your career, surrounded by world-class talent, leveraging cutting-edge technology, and shaping new commercial models—all while contributing to our shared vision. Explore opportunities to join us and be part of a mission-driven team reimagining autonomous mobility through embodied intelligence.