Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AFP

Uber will start testing robotaxis—self-driving cars with no human driver—in London next spring. They are working with a UK company called Wayve, which has already tested these cars on London streets, but always with a human ready to take over if needed.

The UK government recently changed its rules to allow these kinds of trials to happen sooner. At first, they wanted driverless cars on the road by 2026, then they moved the date to late 2027. Now, they have made it possible for small driverless taxi and bus services to start even earlier.

It’s not clear yet if regular people will be able to use these robotaxis during the trial. Uber says they are still deciding the details, but they want to make robotaxis a normal option on their app as soon as the law allows it.

The UK government thinks this new industry could create 38,000 jobs and add £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035. But some people are worried about what will happen to jobs for drivers if taxis drive themselves.

Uber has already started a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, where the cars can work for 20 hours a day, every day of the week. In Austin, customers can choose to take a robotaxi for the same price as a regular Uber, if one is available. Tesla is planning to start a similar service there soon.

Driverless cars have driven millions of miles in other countries like China, the UAE, and Singapore. Some studies say these cars have fewer accidents than human drivers, but there have still been problems, like accidents and passengers getting stuck inside. One robotaxi service in San Francisco was even stopped after too many issues.

A recent test ride in London showed that Wayve’s self-driving car could handle busy streets, traffic lights, cyclists, and even a pedestrian on crutches, all without the human safety driver needing to take control. The car uses sensors, radar, and artificial intelligence to drive, and it was actually more careful than most human drivers.