UK signs Wayve memorandum on autonomy

The UK government signed a memorandum of understanding with Wayve on May 12, putting a formal framework around its work with the London-based autonomous driving company as Britain moves toward commercial self-driving deployments. The agreement was signed by the Department for Business and Trade, according to government and company statements published that day. Wayve said the pact would deepen collaboration on next-generation self-driving technology as it prepares passenger service trials in the UK. The move adds an official government document to industry comments made this week by Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders CEO Mike Hawes about regulation for autonomous vans and heavy goods vehicles. ### Which part of government signed the deal with Wayve? The Department for Business and Trade signed the memorandum with Wayve Technologies Limited, according to a summary published on GOV.UK on May 12. The government said the agreement is intended to support trade, exports and investment while backing the company’s scale-up in Britain. Wayve said on May 12 that the memorandum would deepen collaboration with the UK government on next-generation self-driving technologies. The company said the agreement comes as it works with global automakers and prepares to launch passenger service trials in the UK. ### Did the memorandum itself set rules for autonomous vans and HGVs? The memorandum summary published by the government does not itself set out a new regulatory code for autonomous vans or heavy goods vehicles. (gov.uk) The published summary describes co-operation between DBT and Wayve on trade, investment and shared objectives, while the full version is available only on request. (wayve.ai) Mike Hawes said in comments circulated on May 17 that the agreement should help shape testing and regulation for self-driving commercial vehicles, including vans and HGVs. Hawes has separately urged what SMMT calls a clearer and smarter regulatory path for automated vehicles as the UK prepares secondary rules under the Automated Vehicles Act. Reuters could not independently verify from the published memorandum summary that van- and HGV-specific provisions are written into the agreement itself. (gov.uk) ### What legal framework is Britain building for self-driving vehicles? The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 created the legal foundation for authorising self-driving vehicles on roads in Great Britain, according to the law’s text and a Department for Transport consultation document. The framework covers authorisation, operator licensing, incident investigation, sanctions and permits for automated passenger services. (smmt.co.uk) The Law Commission said its review began in 2018 at the request of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles to support the safe introduction of automated vehicles on British roads and public places. That review fed into the legislation now being implemented through consultations and secondary regulation. ### Why are vans and trucks part of the discussion? SMMT-backed research has identified logistics as the largest commercial opportunity within connected and automated mobility in the UK. (legislation.gov.uk) A report hosted by SMMT said on-road logistics, including urban delivery vans and inter-urban trucks, could represent a market worth 15.2 billion pounds a year by 2040. (lawcom.gov.uk) SMMT has also highlighted the commercial vehicle segment in other policy work. In a separate report on zero-emission heavy goods vehicles, the industry body said freight operators face a slower transition than passenger vehicles, underscoring why rules for HGV deployment are drawing attention across both automation and decarbonisation policy. (smmt.co.uk) ### What has Wayve said it will do next? Wayve said on May 12 that it is preparing passenger service trials in the UK and continuing work with global OEMs on self-driving systems. The company did not give a launch date for those trials in the statement announcing the memorandum. The Department for Transport is consulting on the detailed automated vehicle regulatory framework, including permits for automated passenger services and other operating rules under the 2024 law. (smmt.co.uk) Those next-stage rules, rather than the DBT memorandum alone, are likely to determine how named participants including Wayve and future fleet operators can move from trials to wider deployment in Britain. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk) (wayve.ai)