PAVE UK Partnership Brings Together Wayve, Nissan and Uber to Support Safe Self-Driving Vehicle Trials in the UK

PAVE UK’s self-driving public education and engagement programmes reached more than 25,000 public members at events such as the Cheltenham Science Festival and Goodwood Festival of Speed

(IN BRIEF) PAVE UK has welcomed Wayve, Nissan and Uber as its first members, forming a new collaboration aimed at building public trust and supporting the responsible deployment of self-driving vehicle technology in the UK. The partnership will focus on scientifically backed public engagement, education and two-way dialogue with communities as autonomous vehicle technology moves closer to real-world deployment. Wayve and Uber plan to deploy autonomous vehicles in London later this year as part of an initial trial, while PAVE UK will help communicate the technology’s safety considerations, benefits and limitations. Established in 2024, PAVE UK was co-founded by public and academic partners including the Department for Transport, the Department for Business and Trade, the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, Transport for West Midlands and WMG at the University of Warwick. The organisation has already engaged tens of thousands of people through public events, interactive materials and a virtual reality self-driving experience. The partnership with Wayve, Nissan and Uber is intended to strengthen public understanding, shape principles for responsible deployment and support safer, more transparent adoption of automated vehicle technology across the country.

(PRESS RELEASE) COVENTRY, 28-May-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Partners for Automated Vehicle Education United Kingdom has welcomed Wayve, Nissan and Uber as its first members, bringing together three major players in self-driving vehicle technology and deployment to support public trust, education and responsible introduction of automated vehicles across the UK.

Scientifically-backed education and engagement activities are developed by PAVE UK, including a unique self-driving virtual reality experience

The partnership will see PAVE UK work with Wayve, Nissan and Uber on scientifically supported public engagement activities designed to help people better understand self-driving vehicle technology, including its benefits, limitations and safety considerations. Wayve and Uber plan to deploy autonomous vehicles in London later this year as part of an initial trial that will also support broader public engagement and awareness around the technology.

Established in 2024, PAVE UK is the UK’s first initiative dedicated to inclusive, accurate public education and engagement on self-driving technology. The organisation was co-founded by the Department for Transport, the Department for Business and Trade, the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, Transport for West Midlands, and Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick.

Since its launch, PAVE UK has engaged tens of thousands of members of the public through evidence-based and interactive education materials and activities. Its outreach has included large-scale public events such as the Cheltenham Science Festival and Goodwood Festival of Speed, as well as a virtual reality self-driving experience designed to help the public better understand automated vehicle technology in a practical and accessible way.

Through the new collaboration, PAVE UK will focus on communicating the safety aspects of self-driving vehicles to the public, while also explaining the potential benefits and current limits of the technology. The initiative will also work on principles for responsible deployment, including the role of safety operators during initial trials, and will share learnings with government, industry and the wider public.

Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Director of PAVE UK and Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG, University of Warwick, said the public must remain central to the development of self-driving technology. He noted that automated vehicles will only achieve their potential to improve mobility, safety and accessibility if they earn public trust and acceptance.

Khastgir said PAVE UK is proud to welcome Wayve, Nissan UK and Uber as members, adding that the partnership will create opportunities for two-way conversations with the public and help bridge the communication gap between the technology and wider society. He described the collaboration as a shared commitment to enabling safer, publicly endorsed self-driving technology in the UK.

Sarah Gates, Vice President, Global Affairs, Legal and Assurance at Wayve, said Britain has a long history of transport innovation, from canals and railways to the world’s first underground railway and important road safety standards. She said introducing autonomous rides in London later this year builds on that heritage, and noted that initiatives such as PAVE UK help the industry advance autonomy transparently by educating the public and building trust.

David Moss, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at Nissan Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania, said Nissan is working to unlock autonomous driving as part of a cleaner, safer and more accessible mobility future. He highlighted Nissan’s UK technical centre and projects such as HumanDrive, ServCity and evolvAD as examples of the company’s work in demonstrating the real-world potential of autonomous driving. Moss said the partnership with PAVE UK represents the next step in building public engagement and trust.

Alex Zelubowski, UK Head of Autonomous Mobility Operations at Uber, said safety is central to Uber’s approach and that communities and cities need to be involved in the conversation from the beginning. He said the collaboration with PAVE UK is an important step in bringing autonomous vehicles to London’s streets safely and responsibly.

The addition of Wayve, Nissan and Uber marks a significant expansion of PAVE UK’s role as a public engagement platform for automated vehicle technology. By combining industry experience, academic research and public education, the initiative aims to support a responsible pathway for self-driving vehicle deployment in the UK.

Media Contact:

email: PAVEUK@warwick.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Warwick