Posted on the 13th February 2026 in PHTM News

LONDON CAB DRIVERS CLASH WITH DRIVERLESS CAR GIANT WAYMO OVER ELECTRIC CHARGING BAYS

London’s traditional black cab drivers are at odds with the driverless car firm Waymo after its autonomous vehicles were caught using electric charging points reserved exclusively for taxis.

The dispute has become so heated that some frustrated cabbies have reportedly taken matters into their own hands by manually cancelling the charging sessions of the "robocars."

Steve McNamara of the Licensed Taxi Devices Association confirmed he was aware of incidents where drivers had pressed the cancel button on the charge points. 

"I share the frustration. It's the equivalent of me parking cabs on petrol pumps and saying you can't go to work," he told the Telegraph.

The United Cabbies Group has already lodged two formal complaints with Transport for London (TfL) after members photographed Waymo vehicles plugged in at dedicated taxi bays in Paddington.

Waymo, a Google spin-off valued at £92 billion, is currently testing its modified electric Jaguar I-Pace fleet in the capital ahead of a planned public launch in September.

The company issued an apology to the taxi trade, blaming the incidents on a third-party company whose workers operate its robocar fleet.

"We take our responsibility to be a good member of London's transport network very seriously, and we apologise to the taxi drivers whose charging needs were temporarily disrupted," a spokesperson said, adding that they have implemented strict policies to address what they called "human error."

TfL has stepped in to mediate, noting that the company has been "very apologetic" and has taken action to prevent future misuse of the city’s 70 rapid charging bays designated for taxis.

These bays are vital for black cab drivers who can cover up to 200 miles in a single shift.

While Waymo promises its upcoming service will be "competitive," the row highlights growing tensions as autonomous technology begins to challenge London's historic taxi industry with a host of driverless car companies expected to roll out pilot programmes in coming months, including British start-up Wayve and China's Baidu.


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