UK Tech Startup, Wayve Pursues Global Adaptability with New Development Center in Japan

UK-based self-driving tech startup Wayve has set up a development and testing centre in Japan, Automotive World reported. Wayve’s Japan development center is the first in the Asian market. Located in Yokohama, the center will support Wayve’s efforts to fast-track development of its AI-enabled driving software in partnership with top auto-manufacturers that want flexible, safe, and high performing advanced driver assistance technologies.

Gradual Expansion

The launch of Wayve Japan AI lab comes weeks after the company announced plans to partner with Nissan. The driver assistance software maker launched operations in Germany last year. Wayve also expands its global footprint after raising $1.05 billion last year in a Series C funding round led by SoftBank. Uber, Nvidia, and Microsoft participated in the funding round.

“As a global automotive powerhouse, Japan is embracing the rise of intelligent, software-first vehicles. Wayve offers a compelling solution to this transition, with AI technology that is global, scalable, and highly adaptive. We believe Wayve’s presence in Japan will catalyze new partnerships and help ensure local automakers remain global leaders,” SoftBank Global Advisers’ Managing Partner Kentaro Matsui said.

Matsui also serves on the Wayve Board and heads the New Business Office at SoftBank Group. Wayve’s automaker partnership discussions extend to other global car manufacturers. Its presence in Japan will enable it to develop and test its Embodied AI by Wayve technology in Tokyo and the regions around it. The UK tech company considers Japan an ideal location for refining and scaling Wayve autonomous driving assistance technology as it works to commercialize it.

“We look forward to S.RIDE collaborating with Wayve, the world’s most advanced mobility technology company, and pioneering the future of innovative mobility services, starting with data collection,” S.RIDE Inc. President and CEO Yohei Hashimoto said.

Strategic Positioning

The decision to set up a research center in Asia was informed by Japan’s position as a global hub for vehicle manufacturing along with its rich record in pioneering next-generation vehicle technologies.

“Japan is a global leader in automotive innovation, defined by its legacy of trust and engineering excellence. By establishing our presence here, we’re embedding those principles into the development of our embodied AI. We’re here to collaborate with local partners to deliver advanced AI software that strengthens the global competitiveness of Japanese automakers and accelerates the rollout of safer and smarter mobility technology,” Wayve CEO and Co-founder Alex Kendall said.

Increasingly, the automotive industry in Japan is changing to respond to the changing consumer expectations and the growing global competition. Wayve’s entry into this market provides the industry with a path to shift from conventional development cycles and fast-track innovation.

Global Adaptability

Instead of relying on HD maps, hand-coded rules, and costly sensors, Wayve has designed its Embodied AI software to learn from driving and experience data. This makes it easier and faster for the system to adapt to vehicle types and markets. A recent deployment in the US showed that Wayve’s AI system achieved near-parity performance within weeks of training data. This deployment highlighted its potential for rapid, scalable rollout.

In Japan, Wayve will use data from the country’s complex road environments to train its AI systems. This move will be instrumental in strengthening its foundation model and improve its adaptability to global markets. The Yokohama center will enable the company to accelerate product readiness and deepen collaborations with OEMs in Japan.

“Uber extends a warm welcome to Wayve upon the commencement of their testing and development operations in Japan, as a valued global partner. It is our firm belief that advancements in autonomous driving technology will substantially contribute to resolving Japan’s transportation challenges and will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of mobility,” Uber Japan General Manager, Shiro Yamanaka said.

Currently, Wayve is running active tests in five major automotive markets in the world. With these tests, the self-driving tech company is building a diverse, most adaptable AI software for driving automation to meet the evolving needs of drivers and vehicle makers across the globe.