Image: WayveWaymo, the leading robotaxi provider in the US, has firmly placed a London rollout later this year on its roadmap. Ride-hailing app Uber also plans to enter the market in partnership with UK autonomous driving specialist Wayve. The UK government is now laying the groundwork to open the country’s roads to self-driving cars and buses.The UK expects such services to appear on public roads from the end of this year, and operators can now apply to deploy the vehicles. However, the move does not yet mark the start of full commercial operations. Instead, the government is launching a pilot project designed to ‘enable firms – including British self-driving technology company Wayve – to bring cutting-edge technology to British roads, creating thousands of jobs and unlocking billions for the economy by 2035,’ according to a statement from the Department for Transport.The pilot project will focus primarily on safety. It is designed to generate real-world data on how self-driving vehicles perform in everyday traffic, from navigating dense urban environments to interacting with other road users and transporting passengers safely. The Department for Transport sees considerable potential in the technology, noting that human error currently contributes to 88% of road accidents in the UK.“Self-driving vehicles represent a transformative opportunity for Britain, opening up independent travel for disabled people and older adults, while driving growth and creating high-skilled jobs across the UK,” said Roads and Buses Minister Simon Lightwood. “This pilot scheme brings that future closer, giving passengers the opportunity to experience self-driving travel first-hand while ensuring safety always comes first.”Local transport authorities, such as Transport for London, must also grant their approval to ensure the services align with local priorities.“The UK has all the ingredients to become a global leader in the deployment of self-driving vehicles and today’s launch of the automated passenger services scheme marks an important milestone. Wayve has been developing its technology in the UK for nearly a decade and we’re excited to bring our supervised passenger service to market here this year,” said Sarah Gates, VP, Global Affairs and Assurance at Wayve.Ben Loewenstein, Waymo Head of Policy and Government Affairs for the UK and Europe, said: “The UK is leading the way in enabling the safe deployment of pilot autonomous vehicle services. We hope to soon become part of London’s transport network and demonstrate the safety, accessibility and sustainability benefits of battery-electric autonomous vehicles through the government’s pilot scheme.”gov.uk
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