Robotaxis hit London streets, but with driver on board

Uber and Wayve launched their commercial robotaxi service in London on September 3, 2023, though passengers will still be accompanied by a human supervisor. Wendy Lee, Uber's head of product, told AFP that the rollout would be gradual, starting with "dozens" of vehicles. Wayve became the first company to launch a robotaxi service to the public in London, preceding competitors Waymo and Baidu.

Autonomous taxis have been operating in the US and China, but London is the second European city to have them, after Zagreb where Croatian company Verne operates the service with a supervisor on board for safety. During a demonstration in London, an operator briefly regained control of the vehicle at an intersection near Big Ben.

Kaity Fischer, Wayve's head of business development, emphasized the importance of safety operators during the initial deployment.

It remains uncertain when Uber and Wayve will launch fully autonomous taxis, as both companies have not provided a specific date. Waymo aims to launch vehicles carrying passengers without a driver by the end of 2023, pending government approval. Lyft, partnering with Baidu's Apollo Go, plans to launch its service in 2027 once it receives guidance from London's transport authority, Transport for London (TfL). TfL mentioned that no operator has begun the approval process for fully autonomous vehicles.

Currently, Wayve and Uber have safety authorization for 15 supervised vehicles in London. The fares will initially be the same as regular Uber rides. Wayve plans to expand to Tokyo and then 10 more cities alongside Uber, according to Fischer.