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Posted on the 19th May 2025 in PHTM News
UBER DECLARES ITS READY TO GO FOR DRIVERLESS TAXI ROLLOUT IN UK
Ride-hailing giant Uber has announced its readiness to launch driverless taxi services in the UK, stating it could deploy the technology immediately upon regulatory approval.
Andrew Macdonald, Uber's senior vice president of mobility, told the BBC the company is prepared to introduce robotaxis as soon as the "regulatory environment is ready."
Uber already collaborates with 18 self-driving vehicle companies globally, including UK-based Wayve, and currently offers driverless rides in select areas of the United States.
This declaration follows the UK's Automated Vehicles Act, passed last year, which paves the way for autonomous vehicles on British roads by 2026.
While the Department for Transport (DfT) has indicated that consultations to finalise the regulatory framework are underway, with full deployment targeted for 2027, Uber's statement suggests a faster potential timeline.
The government anticipates the new legislation could generate over 38,000 jobs by 2035 and significantly reduce road accidents by eliminating human error, which it claims contributes to 88 per cent of collisions.
However, concerns persist regarding passenger safety, public acceptance, and the suitability of UK road networks, particularly in London, for autonomous driving.
A 2024 YouGov poll revealed that 37 per cent of Britons would feel "very unsafe" in a driverless car. More recently, a London-specific report indicated a fivefold increase in those feeling safe, rising from two to ten per cent.
Professor Toby Breckon, an AI expert and DfT scientific consultant, addressed safety, stating: “Driverless cars have a range of very high-precision sensors onboard that give the vehicle a strong perception of the environment around it.”
Scepticism also remains among traditional drivers. Grant Davis, chair of the London Cab Drivers Club, labelled robotaxis as ill-suited to London’s "narrow, unpredictable roads" and raised concerns about risks for late-night passengers.
Despite these doubts, Uber maintains that consumer acceptance grows rapidly once the technology is in practical use.
In the US, their robotaxis reportedly operate up to 20 hours daily, with fares currently matching those of human-driven rides. Waymo, a leading autonomous tech firm, emphasised its rigorous testing and phased rollouts for adapting to new environments such as the UK, citing recent testing in Tokyo's left-hand traffic.
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