Key points
- Pilot service scheduled to begin April
- UK regulations to change in 2026
- Driverless taxis aim to improve road safety
LONDON: Driverless taxi services could begin operating in the UK as soon as September, with US autonomous vehicle company Waymo aiming to introduce robotaxis on London streets later this year.
According to the BBC, Waymo plans to start a pilot service in April while the UK government prepares to change regulations in the second half of 2026 to allow self-driving taxis to operate commercially.
Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said the government is supporting Waymo and other operators through passenger trials and “pro-innovation” rules to make autonomous vehicles a reality on British roads.
Waymo, owned by Google parent company Alphabet, has already brought a fleet of vehicles to London, where they are currently being tested with safety drivers mapping the city’s streets. Once fully launched for paying passengers, the taxis are expected to run without a human driver behind the wheel.
Automated vehicles
Greenwood said automated vehicles could make roads safer because they do not suffer from fatigue, distraction or driving under the influence. However, she stressed that strict safety standards, including protection from hacking and cyber threats, must be met before widespread deployment.
The government estimates the autonomous vehicle industry could add £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035 and create nearly 40,000 jobs.
Passengers would be able to hail Waymo robotaxis through an app, though airport drop-offs will not be included initially. The vehicles use advanced sensors, including lidar, radar and cameras, to monitor surroundings in real time.
Waymo says its cars have driven more than 173 million miles autonomously, mainly in the United States, though occasional malfunctions have raised safety concerns.
