AMD, Arm, and Qualcomm Invest $60 Million in Self-Driving Startup Wayve
AMD, Arm, and Qualcomm Ventures have jointly invested $60 million in Wayve. As a result, the London-based company strengthens its position in the self-driving sector. Moreover, this funding extends its Series D round and highlights growing confidence in software-led autonomy.
Notably, Wayve now counts all four major automotive chip suppliers among its investors. In addition, Nvidia had already joined the earlier round. Therefore, the startup gains access to a wide range of compute platforms used by automakers. Consequently, this broad backing could accelerate adoption across the automotive industry.
A Flexible, Hardware-Agnostic Strategy
Unlike many competitors, Wayve avoids reliance on high-definition maps or specialized sensors. Instead, its system uses an end-to-end neural network trained on real-world driving data. As a result, the software can operate with existing vehicle hardware.
Furthermore, this hardware-agnostic approach allows automakers greater flexibility in design and sourcing. In turn, companies can reduce dependency on specific suppliers.
“For embodied AI to scale, automakers need design choice and supply chain flexibility,” Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall said in the company’s announcement. “Expanding our relationships with leading silicon companies helps bring that into production at a global scale.”
Expansion Plans and Path to Market
Building on earlier momentum, the new funding adds to Wayve’s $1.2 billion Series D round announced in February. Additionally, major investors such as SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Microsoft participated in that round. Meanwhile, automakers including Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Stellantis also joined, marking a significant shift toward industry collaboration.
Looking ahead, Wayve plans to launch commercial robotaxi trials this year through its partnership with Uber. At the same time, consumer vehicles using its AI Driver are expected by 2027. Nissan has already announced integration plans, while Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis intend to follow. Ultimately, the new investment will support large-scale deployment as the company transitions from research to production.
