Nvidia, Microsoft Back Wayve as Self-Driving Startup Reaches $8.6 Billion Valuation

London — U.K.-based autonomous driving company Wayve has reached an $8.6 billion valuation after raising $1.2 billion in a Series D funding round backed by Nvidia, Microsoft and Uber.

The funding round was led by Eclipse, Balderton and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Automakers Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Stellantis also participated in the investment. Uber said it plans to invest up to an additional $300 million tied to performance milestones.

Wayve said the fresh capital will support the development and commercial rollout of its artificial intelligence-based autonomous driving software.

“We are building for a total addressable market that spans every vehicle that moves,” Wayve Chief Executive Alex Kendall said in a statement. He added that the investment strengthens the company’s plans to deploy its autonomy technology at scale.

Founded in 2017, Wayve develops AI-powered driving systems designed to enable vehicles to operate autonomously. Prior to the latest round, the company had raised more than $1 billion and has emerged as one of Europe’s most highly valued startups.

In 2025, Wayve signed a partnership agreement with Nissan to integrate its AI technology into the automaker’s driver-assistance systems. Vehicles equipped with the technology are expected to launch from 2027.

The company also plans to begin public robotaxi trials in London in 2026 in partnership with Uber, followed by expansion into more than 10 global markets.

The autonomous driving sector has faced significant technical and regulatory challenges despite years of investment from major technology and automotive firms. Fully autonomous Level 5 vehicles, capable of operating without human intervention in all conditions, have yet to be widely deployed.

However, recent advances in artificial intelligence have renewed investor interest in the sector. On Tuesday, Alphabet-owned Waymo expanded its robotaxi service to additional U.S. cities, while Tesla and Amazon-backed Zoox continue to advance their autonomous mobility efforts.

Shares of Uber and Microsoft were marginally higher in after-hours trading following the announcement.