Driverless taxis are ready for UK roads NOW as Uber’s cabs of the future narrow in
UBER has said it is ready for its robotaxis to hit UK roads now - but Brits could still be made to wait.
Despite previous promises for self-driving cars to be rolled out in 2026, the new government has put back the date to the second half of 2027.
It is estimated that this new industry has the potential to be worth £42billion and provide 38,000 jobs by 2035.
Limited self-driving technology is currently permitted on UK roads, but a human driver must be behind the wheel at all times.
Despite this, Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president for mobility at Uber, told the BBC: “We are ready to launch robotaxis in the UK as soon as the regulatory environment is ready for us.”
The taxi company is working with 18 automated car tech companies to help meet this new demand.
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The automated cars use a radar and seven cameras, while a computer in the boot runs the AI driven software that processes the sensor data and controls the vehicle's responses.
This high-tech software allows the cars to navigate the roads with ease.
The US and China are among the countries already offering this futuristic service, with the fare being the same rate as a normal ride.
Customers pay the same fare for Uber’s self-driving taxis as they would if a human were at the wheel.
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According to a 2024 YouGov poll, 37 per cent of Brits would feel “very unsafe” travelling in a driverless car, but Macdonald explained that in the US, this has quickly “become the new normal.”
While Americans seem to have quickly adapted, the safety of these cars in comparison to normal vehicles is reportedly still being investigated.
While studies suggest that driverless cars are indeed less accident prone, incidents involving robotaxis have still been reported across the US.
Mr Macdonald told the BBC: “The reality is that one accident is too many."
However, he added: “That said… we operate in the real world and real stuff happens.”
Mr Macdonald concluded that he believes these vehicles will transform the way many people travel in the near future.
In a recent statement the Department of Transport said: “We are working quickly and will implement self-driving vehicle legislation in the second half of 2027.
“We are also exploring options for short-term trials and pilots to create the right conditions for a thriving self-driving sector.”
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It comes after a proposed new law cleared the House of Commons, bringing self-driving cars one step closer to appearing on UK roads.
And watch incredible unearthed footage that shows the world's first autonomous car in action, and it's not one of Elon Musk's Teslas.