London's first self-driving taxis for hire hit the streets
Wayve robotaxis added to Uber app and will have human in front ready to take over if needed – but only 15 cars licensed
TL;DR
- Wayve's self-driving taxis are now available for hire via the Uber app in London.
- Only 15 licensed vehicles are currently in operation, all with a safety driver present.
- Full autonomous operation without a safety driver is not expected this year due to separate regulatory processes.
- Wayve uses an AI learning model for its self-driving technology, differing from competitors' mapping-based approaches.
- Uber aims for autonomous vehicles (AVs) to eventually be cheaper and safer for consumers.
- The GMB union has raised concerns about potential social and economic disruption for professional drivers.