Tag Archives: driverless

Waymo Announces Launch of Driverless Taxis in London Next Year

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Waymo has announced that its driverless taxis will be available for hire on the streets of London next year.

This makes London the first European city to implement Waymo’s technology for a self-driving taxi service, similar to what’s currently operational in San Francisco and four other cities in the US.

The company confirmed that its vehicles are en route to London and will start navigating the city’s roads in the coming weeks, with “trained human experts,” or safety drivers, overseeing operations.

Originally a spin-off of Google’s self-driving car initiative and part of the parent group Alphabet, Waymo stated it would collaborate closely with the London Department for Transport to secure the necessary permits for fully autonomous vehicles by 2026.

Uber and UK tech firm Wave have also revealed plans to trial their own driverless taxis in London next year, following the UK government’s decision to fast-track regulations permitting public trials of self-driving vehicles ahead of complete legislation.


Heidi Alexander, Secretary of Transportation, expressed: “We are thrilled that Waymo intends to bring this service to London next year, in line with our proposed pilot program.

“Revitalizing the AV sector will create jobs, draw investment, and provide opportunities within the UK, while expanding accessible transportation options. Advancements like this will support our goal of becoming a leader in new technologies and spearheading national rejuvenation.”

The comprehensive rollout of self-driving taxis in the UK is anticipated to happen after the Self-Driving Vehicles Act is fully implemented in the latter half of 2027.

Waymo has a solid relationship with the UK, having established its first European engineering hub in Oxford back in 2019. The firm is also launching a service in Tokyo utilizing Jaguar Land Rover electric vehicles, marking its only current venture outside the United States.

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Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo, remarked that the technology is enhancing “road safety and making transport more accessible,” adding: “We have shown how to responsibly scale fully autonomous ride-hailing services, and we are eager to share the advantages of our technology in the UK.”

Waymo initiated its self-driving taxi services in 2020 and claims to have transported over 10 million passengers in the United States.

Despite some concerning incidents, Waymo asserts that data indicates that human-driven vehicles are involved in pedestrian accidents 12 times more frequently than self-driving cars.

Source: www.theguardian.com

California State Police Confounded by Tickets Issued to Driverless Cars for Illegal U-Turns

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If a vehicle makes an unlawful U-turn without a driver in the seat, will it still incur a fine? This intriguing question was recently tackled by the California police department.

While conducting DUI enforcement, San Bruno officials encountered a self-driving car that performed an illegal U-turn, yet had no one behind the wheel. In a post from the San Bruno Police Station on Saturday, it was noted that police redirected traffic after halting the identifiable white vehicle from Waymo, the leading autonomous car service in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“We couldn’t issue citations as there was no human operator (our guidelines do not cover ‘robots’).” The post stated.

The department alerted Waymo about the incident, expressing hope that future programming updates will help avoid similar violations.

In a response, Waymo affirmed that its autonomous system, referred to as Waymo drivers, is “engineered to adhere to traffic laws.”

“We are evaluating this incident and remain dedicated to enhancing road safety through continuous learning and experience,” the statement sent to the Guardian read.

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Last year, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation allowing police to issue a “Notice of Violation” if an unmanned vehicle breaks traffic laws. This law will be effective starting July 2026, and it mandates businesses to install emergency communication lines for first responders.

The bill, proposed by San Francisco council member Phil Ting, came in response to multiple incidents within the city that could obstruct traffic, endanger pedestrians, and interfere with emergency responses.

The new law empowers first responders to direct companies to relocate self-driving cars away from an area, requiring them to respond within two minutes.

Addressing concerns regarding leniency from officers, San Bruno police reaffirmed that “there is a statute allowing officers to issue notifications to companies.”

Initially launched as a project under Google’s X Research Lab in 2009, Waymo Cars operate using a combination of external cameras and sensors. The company has encountered its share of challenges in the past, having to recall over 1,200 vehicles earlier this year due to software glitches leading to collisions with barriers and other stationary objects. The National Highway Traffic Safety Bureau has also initiated an investigation last year after receiving reports of 22 incidents involving Waymo vehicles acting erratically or breaching traffic safety laws.

Source: www.theguardian.com