LONDON (AP) -- Robotaxi pioneer Waymo plans to expand to London next year, marking the company's latest step in rolling out its driverless ride service internationally.

Waymo said Wednesday that it will start testing its self-driving cars on London streets in the coming weeks -- with a human "safety driver" behind the wheel -- as it seeks to win government approval for its services.

In a blog post, Waymo said it will "lay the groundwork" for its London service in the coming months. The company said it will "continue to engage with local and national leaders to secure the necessary permissions for our commercial ride-hailing service."

Waymo's self-driving taxis have been operating in the United States for years, and currently serve the cities of Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Austin. This year, the company made its first moves to expand internationally by teaming up with local partners in Japan for testing, though no launch date has been set for commercial service there.

The company began as a secret project within Google and was then spun out from the tech giant.

Waymo will have to follow new U.K. regulations on self-driving cars that pave the way for autonomous vehicles to take to the country's roads. They require self-driving cars to have a safety level "at least as high as careful and competent human drivers" and meet rigorous safety checks.

The company will be able to take part in a pilot program for "small-scale" self-driving taxi and bus services that the government plans for spring 2026.

Waymo will also have to stick to rules from Transport for London, the city's transport authority, which oversees licensing for its famous traditional black cabs as well as other taxi operators like Uber.