Global Autonomous Driving Accelerates Commercialization in 2026 as Regulations Enable Scalable Robotaxi and Robobus Operations

In February 2026, the United Nations’ "Global Draft Regulation on Automated Driving Systems" officially took effect, providing a regulatory framework that enables autonomous vehicles to legally operate on public roads worldwide. London has launched commercial road trials for multiple Robotaxi models, while Waymo simultaneously rolled out its driverless taxi service across ten U.S. cities, with weekly ride orders approaching one million. In China, Robobuses have entered regular operation in cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, and Dali, with companies like Mogo Auto, WeRide, and QCraft driving the deployment of autonomous buses in industrial parks, tourist attractions, and open urban roads. Meanwhile, Wall Street capital is pouring heavily into the autonomous driving sector, propelling soaring valuations for companies specializing in LiDAR, domain controllers, and intelligent driving algorithms—ushering in a new wave of tech-driven wealth creation.