Wayve raises $1.2B at $8.6B valuation to scale embodied AI for autonomous driving

**Wayve Secures $1.2 Billion for Embodied AI, Accelerating Autonomous Driving Deployment** London-based Wayve has announced a significant $1.2 billion Series D funding round, valuing the company at $8.6 billion. This substantial investment marks a crucial step in Wayve's transition from AI research to large-scale commercial deployment of its innovative end-to-end AI platform for autonomous driving. The funding round, co-led by Eclipse, Balderton, and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from major tech players like Microsoft and NVIDIA, as well as automotive giants Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Stellantis, underscores strong confidence in Wayve's embodied AI approach. Wayve's platform utilizes an end-to-end AI architecture that learns to drive by processing sensor data directly, eliminating the need for traditional, highly detailed maps. This innovative approach has enabled Wayve to demonstrate zero-shot driving capabilities in over 500 cities across Europe, North America, and Japan, showcasing its ability to generalize to new environments without city-specific fine-tuning. The system is designed to operate entirely on onboard vehicle compute and sensors, offering flexibility for integration across diverse vehicle brands and markets. The investment will fuel Wayve's partnerships with leading automotive manufacturers and mobility platforms, aiming to scale autonomous driving technology globally with greater capital efficiency. Consumers can anticipate Wayve-powered robotaxis through commercial trials with Uber starting in 2026, with passenger vehicles featuring Wayve's AI Driver, initially offering L2+ "hands-off" capabilities, expected from 2027. This strategic approach positions Wayve to become a foundational software layer for deploying autonomy across a wide array of vehicles.