The timeless inquiry from the backseat remains relevant as we approach a new age of driverless vehicles. “Are we close?” For those in the UK, the promise of fully autonomous cars has been long-awaited, and the answer is “yes, almost”—but not quite there yet.
A pivotal advancement in the journey toward autonomous driving is on the cusp of realization. Waymo, known for its successful robotaxi operations in San Francisco and several other U.S. cities, announced recently that it plans to introduce its vehicles to London.
Specifics are limited, yet the potential is intriguing. The groundbreaking California-based firm stated that its self-driving service “will be providing driverless vehicles on this side of the Atlantic in 2026… We’re excited to cater to Londoners and the millions visiting London next year.”
These visitors may want to grab a London Underground Oyster card just in case. This past summer, the UK government announced initiatives aimed at enticing major tech companies, aiming to hasten the rollout of self-driving vehicles, with robotaxis potentially entering regulated public trials as early as spring 2026. However, regulations are still being finalized, which may mean that safety drivers remain in the mix for a while longer.
The British company Wave, in collaboration with Uber, has unveiled plans to develop a more modest Level 4 fully autonomous vehicle and to commence public road tests in London.
While Americans are leisurely experiencing self-driving vehicles, the UK’s winding road to this technology has been met with commitments that vanish like pedestrians in the rain. Back in 2018, Addison Lee, in conjunction with researchers from the University of Oxford, promised robotaxis by 2021.
A year ago, Nissan nearly achieved having one of its Leaf models drive itself without incident near Becton, east London. The then-transport secretary, Chris Grayling, forecasted self-driving cars arriving within four years, with small pods autonomously navigating around the O2 in Greenwich. The offspring of a British innovation, the Union Jack-patterned Sinclair C5 Tardis, was showcased in a Milton Keynes car park back in 2015. Vince Cable, the business secretary at the time, confidently stated that 100 of these would soon ferry passengers across town for just £2 each.
Meanwhile, in regions like the U.S. and parts of China, self-driving taxi services are nearing routine functionality, rendering Waymo’s impending arrival more significant compared to earlier aspirations and predictions.
In San Francisco, Waymo’s home base, self-driving cars have integrated seamlessly into daily life, traversing the city’s challenging hilly streets at a deliberate pace.
Since its full implementation in June 2024, it has established its place alongside electric scooters and city buses within the urban landscape. Riding a Waymo has become a must-try attraction for visitors, akin to experiencing the city’s historic trolley cars.
Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie has advocated for expansion to rejuvenate the downtown district, but the streets still host many people experiencing homelessness, creating a stark contrast as high-tech AI-driven vehicles pass by individuals living in extreme poverty.
The modified white Jaguar iPace resembles surveillance equipment, featuring rapidly rotating cameras on each side and roof akin to a police siren. Advertised similarly to Uber or Lyft rides via an app, the absence of a human driver and the steering wheel twirling under its digital command serve as a poignant reminder of the economic upheaval these vehicles may precipitate.
Uber, which debuted in San Francisco in 2010, disrupted traditional taxi practices and created precarious gig jobs for drivers. Now, they are facing another wave of technological change.
In 2024, data referenced by The Economist indicated that the number of people employed by taxi firms in San Francisco increased by 7%, alongside a 14% rise in salaries. The newspaper noted that Lyft’s CEO David Risher predicted that self-driving taxis “will actually grow the market.”
Yet, those on the front lines may not share this optimism. An Uber driver from Venezuela expressed doubts when asked about Waymo while in San Francisco’s Mission District: “I think I have about a year left in this job.”
For passengers, riding a Waymo evokes a sense of entrusting their journey to artificial intelligence. Upon hailing the vehicle via the app, a warm welcome greets them, initially displaying their initials on the digital screen atop the car. Tapping the app unlocks the doors, while a friendly voice reminds riders to buckle their seatbelts. A broad selection of music is readily available, creating a truly intimate atmosphere behind the tinted rear windows.
Pressing the ‘Start Ride’ button on the touchscreen allows the car to smoothly merge into traffic. The gear shift, adorned with a message that reads “Keep your hands out of it,” spins like a ghostly fairground attraction.
Soon enough, riders cultivate a sense of comfort while remaining cautious enough to avert dangers. A scrolling map on the screen displays their route and updates the estimated time of arrival. The ‘Stop Now’ button will only engage once it’s safe to do so, but the option to change the original destination is appreciated.
Waymo has sparked diverse social reactions. Recently, three individuals stalled at a busy intersection in the Marina District, visibly disoriented with blinking lights, attracting cheers from onlookers, while one man executed multiple backflips off a nearby vehicle.
In July, a prankster gathered a crowd at a dead-end street, leading everyone to summon a Waymo simultaneously, creating a spectacle featuring 50 robocars. Earlier in 2024, one such vehicle was vandalized, covered in graffiti, and set ablaze during the Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown.
If the black taxi driver does not react directly, it’s possible a similar reception will greet the driverless taxis. Steve McNamara, executive director of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, remarked: “We observe kids hacking Lime bikes, but how long until surfing atop a Waymo becomes the latest TikTok sensation?”
McNamara maintains a calm demeanor: “This proposes a solution to a problem we don’t currently have. These vehicles may be performing excellently in San Francisco and Los Angeles, but London is unlike anywhere else. I’d like someone to elucidate how this self-driving car intends to navigate streets like Charing Cross Road at 11 p.m., where pedestrians are continually crossing.” [sensor] “When you’re on top of a Waymo, you know it will stop, so you just get out or disembark.”
Christian Wolmer, author of *Driverless Cars: On a Road to Nowhere*, echoes this skepticism, stating: “There are no pedestrian crossing rules in this environment. If Google expects adherence to pedestrian crossing norms for cars…”
Despite the experiences in the U.S., he staunchly doubts that fully autonomous taxis will hit the streets here next year, asserting: “Unless a human operator is present, the likelihood of that happening is zero.”
Waymo revealed its London plans partly to mitigate any surprise over test vehicles on the roads, initiating a lengthier mapping initiative. They feel emboldened after a self-driving trial spanning approximately 100 meters in San Francisco, which is a far from orderly or flat city, in addition to over a dozen other trials.
Carriers have long argued that regulation trumps technological hurdles. Even swift progress has limitations. The consultation’s outcome, which wrapped up last month, should pave the way for the pilot program, though confirmation is still pending.
While this may have spurred Waymo’s plans, transforming the testing program to operational vehicles still involves numerous challenges with the Department for Transport and Transport for London, indicating that broader legislation may take at least another two years to enact. Insurers have particularly raised concerns regarding liability in these scenarios.
Previous pre-legislative testing frameworks stalling other innovative transport modalities, such as electric scooters, are currently set to persist for eight years. Tony Travers, a professor at the London School of Economics, posits that self-driving cars may be more favorably received: “They will have to abide by regulations. Sure, they might contribute to congestion, but they’re not likely to induce chaos like electric scooters have.”
However, even with the arrival of driverless taxis, one might wonder, “So what?” suggests Walmer.
According to Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, the answer lies in the fact that their vehicles are “reliable, safe, and magical,” with an emphasis on safety. Up to now, Waymo cars have been involved in a fewer number of accidents compared to human-driven vehicles over equivalent distances.
They also aim to provide a new form of autonomy to those previously lacking it. The Royal Institute for Blind People praised the Waymo announcement as the inception of “technology that allows for safe, spontaneous, autonomous movement.”
Waymo stated that its entrance into the UK market would entail investments in warehouses, infrastructure for charging, cleaning services, support teams, and would temporarily employ “human experts” in the driver’s position.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has mentioned that the upcoming self-driving car revolution could generate 38,000 job opportunities within the UK.
However, it is professional drivers who face the greatest threat. Approximately 300,000 individuals hold private hire licenses, with an additional million expected to be in roles related to HGV and delivery services moving forward. Many of the UK’s 82,000 bus drivers have recently secured significant pay rises, while its 27,000 train operators are well-regarded for their labor efforts.
Consequently, surveys indicate that public sentiment in Britain is cautiously optimistic regarding self-driving vehicles, primarily stemming from fears surrounding job displacement due to artificial intelligence, even if human jobs haven’t been entirely eradicated yet.
Licensing and legal clarifications are still pending. McNamara expressed hope: “Who will grant approval? If I aimed to become a successful politician, I wouldn’t add my signature to that document.”
Source: www.theguardian.com
