London Mayor Calls for a Cap on Robotaxis Before a Large-Scale Rollout

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called for a cap on the number of robotaxis on the city's streets, urging the government to give Transport for London (TfL) wider powers over automated vehicles before fully driverless services roll out at scale. The Guardian reported on November 1 that Khan believes politicians have not grasped the pace of change and that current rules are no longer fit for purpose.

TfL can say yes or no — but not much more

Under current rules, TfL can only give or refuse consent for fully autonomous vehicles in London; it cannot manage or license robotaxi services, nor set a cap on fleet size. Khan warned against a 'big bang' rollout without proper regulation in place, saying: 'We've got to make sure the regulation is fit for purpose before we have a mass rollout.'

He named air quality, congestion and the jobs of private-hire and black-cab drivers as unresolved questions, adding: 'London isn't San Francisco. We're a city of almost 10 million, 400 villages, narrow roads, and it's really important to get this right.'

Testing is already under way in London

Uber has offered limited passenger services since September using Wayve self-driving cars with a safety driver on board, under a TfL licence. Freenow by Lyft is testing about 24 Baidu Apollo Go vehicles in the borough of Brent and hopes to launch fully driverless robotaxis as early as next year under a national licensing scheme. Waymo is also targeting London for expansion.

Test journeys still sometimes require human intervention, particularly around roadworks, according to The Guardian's reporting. Freenow said it is working closely with TfL on regulatory requirements and described the UK's national framework for driverless cars as an important factor in its investment.

The dispute is about control, not just technology

The core question is not whether the technology can drive, but who decides how many driverless taxis a city can absorb and who manages the operational risks. Khan's Greater London Authority is lobbying the government for greater TfL powers over automated vehicles. Until those rules are settled, whether London welcomes large-scale driverless passenger services remains an open question.

Caption: File photo of a robotaxi test vehicle on a London street.