Uber ready to go driverless in the UK
Uber has declared itself “ready to go” with driverless taxi services in the UK, saying it could roll out the technology immediately if regulators give the green light.
Andrew Macdonald, the taxi giant’s senior vice president of mobility, told the BBC the company is prepared to deploy robotaxis as soon as the “regulatory environment is ready”.
The ride-hailing firm is already operating with 18 self-driving vehicle firms on a global scale, including UK-based Wayve.
It also already offers driverless rides to its customers in parts of the US.
Uber’s statement follows the passage of the UK’s automated vehicles act, which was past last year, allowing autonomous vehicles to operate on British roads by 2026.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said consultations to finalise a regulatory framework are underway, with full deployment targeted for 2027.
The government has claimed that the new law could create over 38,000 jobs by 2035, and reduce road accidents by cutting out human error, which contributes to 88 per cent of collisions.
Consumers need convincing
But, concerns remain over passenger safety, public acceptance, and whether the UK’s road networks – particularly in the capital – are suitable for autonomous driving.
A 2024 YouGov poll found that 37 per cent of Brits would feel “very unsafe” in a driverless car.
Yet, more recently, a report focused on passengers in London specifically found that the percentage of its inhabitants who would feel safe in a driverless car increased fivefold, rising from two to 10 per cent.
Professor Toby Breckon, AI expert and scientific consultant to the DfT, commented on the safety of such vehicles.
“Driverless cars have a range of very high-precision sensors onboard that give the vehicle a strong perception of the environment around it”, he said.
Yet, scepticism also persists among drivers. Grant Davis, chair of the London Cab Drivers Club, dubbed robotaxis as ill-suited to London’s narrow, unpredictable roads, and suggested they pose risks for late-night passengers.
Despite the doubts, Uber insists consumer acceptance grows quickly once the technology is in use.
In the US, its robotaxis operate up to 20 hours a day, with fares currently priced the same as human-driven rides.
Waymo, a leading autonomous tech firm, said it uses extensive road testing and phased rollouts to adapt to new environments like the UK, having recently tested its vehicles on Tokyo’s left-hand traffic.