AI TECH
The UK is finally letting cars drive themselves
The UK is gearing up to put driverless taxis on the roads by next spring, an earlier rollout than expected, as it tries to catch up with the US and China in the race for autonomous vehicles.
The Labour government’s updated plans will allow a small number of robotaxis and bus-like services to operate without safety drivers, thanks to the Automated Vehicles Act passed last year.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the industry could create 38,000 new jobs and bring in £42bn by 2035.
The focus now is on testing innovation, ensuring road safety, and getting the regulation right.
Uber and UK-based Wayve are planning to launch a driverless taxi service in London, though it still needs approval from the government and Transport for London.
In brief:
Driverless taxi trials kick off in spring 2026, a year early
Uber and Wayve want to launch self-driving taxis in London
UK hopes to catch up with the US and China’s head start on autonomy
Hands off, ride on
The UK remains behind global frontrunners.
In the US, Waymo now runs over 250,000 paid driverless trips a week, and Tesla is launching a ride-hailing service in Texas.
In China, robotaxi pilots are already active in 20 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, with companies like Baidu and Pony.ai leading the charge.
London’s about to get NPCs driving the cars.