Self-driving taxi rides have begun in London, with Uber and British autonomous vehicle company Wayve opening the UK’s first supervised robotaxi service to passengers.
The service launched on Thursday, September 3, allowing customers booking an UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort in the capital to be matched with a Wayve vehicle at no additional cost.
Among the first passengers to climb aboard was a reporter who tested the futuristic service on the busy streets of central London. The journey took place in an all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E fitted with Wayve’s artificial intelligence driving system, cameras and radar.
Although the car controls its speed, steering and braking during normal operation, the first phase is not entirely driverless. A trained, Transport for London-licensed private hire driver remains in the front seat, ready to take over if required.
The vehicle’s cautious movements were evident as it negotiated traffic, junctions and the unpredictable mix of cyclists, pedestrians, buses and vans found in central London. For passengers, the experience is intended to feel familiar, with the journey booked, unlocked and started through the usual Uber app.
Riders are told when they have been allocated an autonomous vehicle and can accept the journey or switch to a conventional Uber before the car arrives. Those who want to improve their chances of being matched can opt in through the app’s ride preferences.
Inside the vehicle, interactive screens display information about the journey and the route being taken. Uber said the system is designed to give passengers a clear view of what the car is doing while retaining access to assistance during the trip.
The initial fleet is small, with Transport for London having licensed 15 Wayve Ford Mustang Mach-Es for private hire work. The cars can travel throughout London, although airport journeys are excluded at launch.
More than 140,000 Londoners have already opted in to the service, according to Uber and Wayve. The companies said the fleet would expand gradually in line with demand, safety readiness and regulation.
Wayve, founded in London, has spent years testing its technology on the capital’s roads. Its partnership with Uber is intended to demonstrate that an autonomous system can operate in a dense and complicated urban environment before any move towards rides without a safety driver.
For now, the human presence in the front seat remains an important distinction. London has entered the era of autonomous taxi travel, but the fully driverless journey is still a further stage away.
