03/09/2026
Finally, the UK is becoming electrified! ⚡
What are your thoughts on it?
Do you think it will make travel cheaper, or could it make the roads more dangerous for drivers?
Uber launches driverless car trial in London – but there’s still a safety driver
Uber has launched its first autonomous taxi service in London, allowing some passengers to experience a journey where the car drives itself.
The service is being delivered in partnership with British self-driving technology company Wayve, using a small fleet of all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles.
However, the cars are not completely driverless yet.
A trained private hire driver must remain in the vehicle as a safety driver, monitoring the journey and able to intervene if necessary.
Passengers can be matched with one of the autonomous vehicles when booking an eligible Uber journey through the app.
And if you don’t fancy getting into a self-driving car, you can reject the journey and request a conventional Uber with a human driver instead.
The autonomous rides are being introduced gradually, with the initial fleet made up of fewer than 20 vehicles.
Wayve’s technology uses artificial intelligence, cameras and radar to understand the road and navigate London’s busy streets.
The launch marks a major step towards fully autonomous taxis in the UK, although a human safety driver remains part of the service for now.
Uber and Wayve plan to expand the service as the technology and regulatory framework develop.
