Robotaxis make their debut on London’s busy streets

London is getting its first robotaxi service, but passengers will still find a human behind the wheel.

Uber and British technology company Wayve have begun a small pilot using electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles fitted with Wayve’s autonomous-driving technology. A safety driver will monitor each journey and can take control or apply the brakes if necessary.

The companies still need approval to operate without a driver as the British government develops regulations for autonomous taxis. “That process is still ongoing,” Uber’s head of autonomous mobility, Sarfraz Maredia, said, adding that its duration was unclear.

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That process is still ongoing.

The pilot starts with fewer than 20 vehicles and will expand from there, Maredia said. Uber said fares would match those of a regular Uber ride, and passengers would not be asked to tip at the end of a robotaxi journey.

The rollout places the technology on some of Europe’s more demanding urban roads. London’s narrow, winding streets are often crowded with cars, buses, bicycles and rental electric bikes. Pedestrians can also cross roads outside designated crossings, creating another challenge for autonomous vehicles.

Waymo and China’s Baidu are also preparing commercial passenger services in London. The article notes that robotaxi operators already run fully autonomous services in several US and Chinese cities, while many European countries remain in the testing phase.

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Passengers will not be asked to tip at the end of a robotaxi ride.