Microsoft-backed Wayve raises $1.5 billion to take robotaxis global

February 25, 2026 - 07:57

A major investment surge is propelling the next phase of self-driving technology. Wayve, a UK-based pioneer in artificial intelligence for autonomous vehicles, announced a monumental $1.5 billion funding round this Tuesday. This represents the largest single investment to date in a European AI company.

The colossal funding round was led by SoftBank Group, with significant participation from tech giant NVIDIA and existing investor Microsoft. Prominent automakers also joined the round, including Wayve’s strategic partner, the global car manufacturing group Stellantis.

Wayve distinguishes itself in the crowded autonomous vehicle sector by developing “embodied AI” for cars. This technology is an AI-driven system that learns from and adapts to complex, real-world driving environments, much like a human driver would, rather than relying solely on pre-programmed maps and rules. The company argues this approach is critical for scaling self-driving technology across diverse global cities.

The new capital will accelerate the development and commercialization of its AI software. A primary goal is to integrate this technology into production vehicles, aiming to bring advanced driver-assistance systems and ultimately fully autonomous capabilities to market. This investment underscores the intense confidence from both the technology and automotive industries in an AI-first approach to the future of transportation.