The robotaxis are coming. Next year, the UK government’s Automated Vehicles Act of 2024 will take full effect, meaning that self-driving vehicles will officially be allowed on British roads, unsupervised. And there are several companies lining up to be the first to offer driverless taxis when that day finally rolls around.
Among them: Uber. The cab-hailing platform has joined forces with AI firm Wayve to bring driverless cabs to the streets of London and now it’s gearing up for launch. To start with, the cabs will be supervised by a licensed operator (legally, they have to be). They’ll be allowed to be fully driverless in late 2027.
Riders will be able to choose from 64 languages and use interactive screens where to start and control their ride and see its planned path. The tech has been being tested on London’s roads since 2018. The vehicles have surround cameras and radars that give Wayve’s AI full 360-degree visibility around the car at all time and they can navigate the city thanks to HD maps, hand-coded rules and geofenced domains.
But if you’re still a little suspicious of the concept, anyone that’s matched with an autonomous vehicle on Uber will be able to switch to a normal human-driven car if they want. Here’s everything else we know about the launch so far.
When will Uber launch its driverless cars?
No specific date for the first driverless cars has been confirmed yet. Uber simply says that it’ll be ‘in the coming months’. Kaity Fischer, who heads up Wayve’s robotaxi business, said: ‘We’re ready to go, and can’t wait to get the public into our vehicles to experience Wayve technology first hand.’
How to try Uber’s driverless taxis
People in the UK can use the Uber app to join the ‘interest list’ for the Uber x Wayve vehicles. First, make sure the app is updated, then go to Settings > Ride Preferences > Autonomous vehicles > Join interest list.
Once you’ve joined the list, you’ll be the first to receive updates and will get the opportunity for try out trips before the general public.
How much will Uber’s driverless taxis cost?
Passengers will spend the same on driverless rides as they would on regular Uber rides.
Other driverless taxis coming to London
Chinese AI company Baidu is planning to launch self-driving taxis in the capital too, in collaboration with Lyft. Its vehicles, which already operate in cities across China, will feature reclining seats with massage features, panoramic sky roofs and mood lighting options. There’s also Waymo, which is aiming to bring robotaxis to 20 London boroughs.