Wayve’s AI driving system, Nissan EVs and Uber’s platform combine for new pilot program.

Wayve, Uber and Nissan today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development of robotaxis and commence activities to realize the deployment of robotaxi services.

Major automakers, tech giants, AI companies, and chipmakers are all trying to get a piece of Wayve.

The Japanese automaker will partner with Uber and Wayve to launch a pilot program in ten cities, including Tokyo and London.

March 10 (Reuters) - Qualcomm and British self-driving startup Wayve said on Tuesday they are collaborating on an integrated artificial intelligence system to help automakers rapidly deploy advanced driver-assistance and automated driving features.

The UK capital has emerged as a testing ground for self-driving car companies globally, with California’s Waymo set to roll out a commercial robotaxi service in the city later this year.

The deal values London-based Wayve at $8.6 billion. The $1.2 billion funding, which could grow to $1.5 billion if Wayve meets certain performance targets, is one of the largest amounts raised by a European start-up and is the latest sign of investor demand for A.I.-related businesses.

Qualcomm teams with Wayve to advance production-ready end-to-end artificial intelligence (AI) for assisted and automated driving.