Robotaxis are set to hit the roads in the UK, as confirmed recently. Waymo, a US company, has chosen London as the first European city to introduce its driverless taxis. The testing phase will commence in the upcoming weeks in London, with a human “safety driver” present in the vehicle. Waymo aims to secure government approval for its autonomous services and plans to seek permission from Transport for London to initiate self-driving rides next year.
Uber, a competitor, has also revealed its intentions to launch self-driving cabs in London in the coming year. However, the entry of these companies, along with potential others, brings up several concerns. One major worry is the impact on the approximately 330,000 taxi and private hire drivers in England, whose jobs could be at risk if the technology proves successful. Despite this, Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, expressed confidence and downplayed the autonomous competition, emphasizing that flying taxis might arrive before fully autonomous ones in London.
Another significant concern revolves around the safety implications when human supervision is absent. Regulators in the US have probed Tesla’s full self-driving software following a series of accidents, including a fatal pedestrian incident. Waymo asserts that its technology has led to a decrease in road injuries and fatalities in areas where it is already operational. The company claims significantly fewer serious crashes compared to human drivers, highlighting its technology’s proficiency in collision avoidance.
Waymo’s self-driving taxis have been in operation in various US cities for years, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Austin. The company boasts over one hundred million fully autonomous miles driven on public roads in the US, with more than 10 million paid rides completed.
Waymo’s co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana expressed excitement about introducing the reliability and safety of Waymo to London residents, emphasizing the company’s commitment to enhancing road safety and accessibility through its technology. Waymo states that their pricing strategy is dynamically determined based on various factors while ensuring a premium level of reliability, safety, and comfort for customers.
Waymo recently expanded its operations to Japan for testing, marking its first international expansion this year, although a commercial launch date has not been specified yet. Originating as a confidential project under Google, Waymo will need to adhere to new UK regulations on self-driving vehicles, ensuring that autonomous cars meet safety standards equivalent to careful human drivers and pass stringent safety assessments.
The company is poised to participate in a pilot initiative for “small-scale” self-driving taxi and bus services planned by the government for the upcoming spring. Transport representative Heidi Alexander expressed delight at Waymo’s intention to introduce their services in London next year, highlighting the investment’s role in advancing new technologies and fostering meaningful changes in communities.
Robin Spinks, the head of inclusive design at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), welcomed the potential introduction of Waymo in the UK as a promising development for enhancing independent mobility options for visually impaired individuals. The move signifies a step towards enabling safe autonomous travel, especially for those with visual impairments.