Waymo self-driving car wakes London street at 4am after taking dead end route three times in a week
The US company is currently testing its fleet of distinctive white Jaguar vehicles in the capital
A self-driving Waymo car woke residents of a quiet London street at 4am after getting stuck while trying to enter a dead-end road - the third incident of its kind in a week.
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On Sunday, one frustrated resident took to social media to complain that a vehicle from the American firm’s fleet of pilot cars had jolted him awake at 4.15am after turning into the narrow street and attempting to reverse back out.
Chris, from London, posted footage showing the white SUV-style car mounting the kerb on the cobbled road as it cautiously tried to reverse the length of the street.
But far from learning its lesson, the same thing happened twice more by Wednesday night according to residents.
Waymo is currently testing its fleet of distinctive white Jaguar vehicles in the capital ahead of plans for a fully autonomous taxi service.
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looks like the neighbours in the street have taken matters into their own hands with @Waymo cars 😂😂😂
— Same ccshoreditch on all platforms (@ccshoreditch) May 10, 2026
at least it's not 4am like every other time 🙈 https://t.co/66dZjeFnio pic.twitter.com/VFhMEfT6Mr
The firm, which already runs driverless services in US cities including San Francisco, Miami and Atlanta, announced in January that 24 vehicles would be deployed in London for testing and street-mapping.
However, the vehicles have come under scrutiny since hitting London’s streets - the latest disturbance being just one in a string of errors during the pilot scheme.
Last month, a "driverless" taxi was spotted driving into a crime scene in west London while it was on a test run in the capital.
Officers investigating a double stabbing in Harlesden were shocked to see a Waymo vehicle ride crash through their police cordon in late April.
The fully autonomous white car was seemingly unaware of the police car lights and sirens as it careered through the "Do Not Cross" tape stretched across Harlesden High Street.
Waymo says it hopes to launch its robotaxi service in London as early as September, although the Government is yet to set an official date for when driverless taxi regulations will change.
The US firm began a pilot in April, with its vehicles initially driven by safety drivers as they map London’s streets.
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood said the Government was backing Waymo and other firms through passenger pilots and “pro-innovation” rules to bring self-driving cars to British roads.
She said autonomous vehicles could make roads safer because they do not get tired, distracted or drive under the influence, but added they would still have to meet strict safety standards, including protection against hacking and cyber threats.
Waymo, whose vehicles have been used for more than 10 million paid rides in the US, said its cars will “navigate London’s unique streets, understand complex layouts and traffic patterns”.
The US company also said its cars are involved in five times fewer injury-causing crashes compared with those with human drivers.