N環球 
London not ready for driverless taxis, Assembly report warns; TfL urged to delay Waymo approvals
A 66-page London Assembly Transport Committee report says there is insufficient evidence to support autonomous passenger services in the capital, calling on TfL to withhold approval for Waymo, Wayve and Baidu until safeguards are in place.
Why it matters
London hopes to become the first major European city to introduce fully driverless cars, but the Assembly report applies the brakes. The capital has around 105,000 licensed private-hire drivers whose livelihoods robotaxis would threaten; unions have urged the mayor to halt the rollout.
Full report
The London Assembly Transport Committee published a 66-page report on Monday, 'Who's driving the future of autonomous transport in London?', concluding it had 'not heard sufficient evidence' to support autonomous passenger services in the capital, with 13 recommendations.
It calls on Transport for London to withhold approval for operators including Waymo, Wayve and Baidu until appropriate safeguards exist. Key concerns: TfL currently lacks powers to cap driverless vehicle numbers or revoke licences if problems arise; no convincing plan for passengers facing assault, medical emergencies or coercion with no driver present; empty robotaxis cruising for bookings could worsen congestion; and US safety claims may not translate to London's complex road network.
Context: Waymo is testing about 100 cars in London and hopes to launch a commercial fleet in the 'low hundreds' this year; Uber and Wayve hold TfL private-hire licences for supervised self-driving rides; Freenow and Baidu target a fully driverless launch in 2027. The UK government aims to have fully driverless cars on roads by year-end.
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!