Flashspoter - Uber is embracing Wayve, a British developer of autonomous technology, to provide robotaxi in London. Through the collaboration, Uber has become the first company to run commercially driverless taxis in the British capital.
Londoners can now book autonomous vehicles from the Uber app by choosing UberX, Uber Comfort or Uber Electric services. If there is an autonomous vehicle in the vicinity of the passenger's location, the system will offer that option. Notifications are sent before the vehicle arrives, so passengers still have time to switch to a regular vehicle when in doubt.
The launch of this initial stage is very narrow in scope, only 15 vehicles are licensed to operate on the streets of London. The figure is well below the more than 100,000 private hire vehicles now operating in the British capital. Uber claims more than 100,000 customers have been waiting on its app to try its robotaxi service.
All robotaxi vehicles in operation today are electric Ford Mustang Mach-E that have been modified with AI Driver technology from Wayve. These vehicles are equipped with cameras, radar and an AI-powered computer unit in the trunk that processes data in real-time to control the vehicle. Wayve technology does not use pre-programmed mapping as implemented by most of its competitors, but instead relies on AI learning models that analyze the situation directly while driving.
The current regulations in London still require a licensed Transport for London driver to sit in the front seat as a supervisor. Such drivers take full responsibility and are ready to take over control if the situation requires human intervention. Transport for London insists that safety is a top priority and every new vehicle carrying passengers must be in line with its Vision Zero target to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on London's streets by 2041.
In terms of fares, Uber ensures that the price of a trip with robotaxi is the same as the regular fare for UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort Services. Passengers are not charged extra for the experience of using this autonomous vehicle. However, Uber also stated that customers will not be asked to tip even if there is a human supervisor in the vehicle.
The driving experience with this robotaxi was not always smooth. In a BBC Test, the supervising driver was forced to take the wheel when the rear door of a van parked on the side of the road suddenly opened. Wayve later stated that the intervention decision was taken by the driver, and that they believed their AI system was actually capable of handling the situation. This small incident served as an illustration that although technology is constantly evolving, British regulators are still very cautious about allowing full-fledged operation without a driver.
Approval for fully driverless operations requires Uber and Waymo to go through separate lines involving the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The line is not expected to be completed until 2026, while the regulatory framework targeted by the government will only be available in 2027. The Department for Transport insists that such services will be introduced gradually, with rigorous safety testing and regulatory approval as key conditions, as well as requiring local agreements that consider the impact on roads, jobs and communities.
Competition in the London robotaxi market is heating up with the presence of global players. Waymo, an autonomous company owned by Google, and Baidu from China are currently testing their robotaxi fleets in London. Waymo even stated its intention to launch a driverless service by 2026, although the deadline looks increasingly unrealistic given the slow pace of the regulatory process. London is becoming an important battleground as it will be one of the first cities in the world where American and Chinese technology companies operate on the same street.
Uber and Wayve's partnership won't stop in London. The two companies have announced plans to bring Nissan's autonomous vehicles to Tokyo, Japan, as the next international expansion step. Wayve is also working with automakers such as Nissan and Stellantis to integrate their systems into personal vehicles. Before London, Uber had launched Europe's first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, also with a human driver on board.
The impact on conventional taxi drivers is a serious concern. The GMB union has raised concerns about potential job losses, rising unemployment and legal liability in the event of an accident. They urged Transport for London to be very careful about allowing the operation of autonomous vehicles. Uber itself argues that the transport market is still growing and will continue to need human drivers for a long time, as the complexity of London's streets is considered particularly challenging for autonomous vehicles.
Overall, the launch of robotaxi in London by Uber and Wayve reflects the dynamics of a transport industry that is at the crossroads of technological innovation, tight regulation and social concerns. Regulators and the London public still have to be convinced that autonomous vehicles are capable of driving safely in one of the world's most complicated driving environments. How successful this implementation will be depends largely on that. London is not only a huge market, but also a test for the viability of autonomous technology in global cities whose road infrastructure is centuries old.
Source: Engedget, BBC, The Guardian