Uber without the humans: Driverless technology has to serve the public interest, says London Assembly member
Labour’s spokesperson for Transport on the London Assembly has insisted that autonomous vehicles should only be deployed where they solve a public policy problem. Writing in her column on the Labourlist website, and coming on the day when the UK welcomes new Labour leader Andy Burnham as its fifth Prime Minister in less than four […]
7.1mph: London’s average bus speed ‘no faster than jogging pace’
London buses travel at an average of just 7.1mph – no faster than an average person jogging, new data has suggested. However, a 10% increase in bus speeds across London could save bus operators around £214 million a year. Figures published by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), and shared exclusively with The Standard, suggest […]
Robotaxi protest interrupts London Transport Committee meeting
Private hire drivers disrupted a London Assembly Transport Committee meeting to protest the planned rollout of driverless taxis in the capital, reports PHTM. The meeting at City Hall included a discussion on the future of autonomous vehicle technology, with industry stakeholders invited to give evidence to members of the London Assembly and TfL officials. Speakers included […]
Spitalfields residents being regularly woken by ‘lost’ Waymo vehicles
Waymo robotaxis are getting lost and waking residents in east London because of their reversing sensors and “hideous” siren sounds. The autonomous vehicles have been mistakenly driving up and down Elder Street, a cul-de-sac in Spitalfields, in the early hours of the morning for more than a month, says the Daily Telegraph. Several driverless taxis […]
TfL requested to use new powers to crack down on e-bike parking
City Hall has urged Transport for London (TfL) to use new regulatory powers granted by the government to crack down on “nuisance” e-bike parking across the capital. The The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act empowers TfL to legally license e-bike operators and potentially cap the number of bikes on London’s streets if necessary, says the Standard. London boroughs […]
Wayve’s driverless taxis able to pick up fares in London this summer
Londoners will soon be able to hail AI-powered vehicles through Uber as the British technology company Wayve prepares for its public launch in a few weeks’ time. Wayve, the British company founded by two University of Cambridge students, plans to offer its vehicles to paying passengers in the capital “in the next couple of months”, […]
Wayve’s Fischer says London driverless car novelty will wear off ‘within minutes’
Wayve believes Londoners will stop noticing they are sitting in driverless cars within minutes of using them, as the UK AI startup prepares to launch autonomous vehicles on Uber’s network in the capital. Katie Fischer, Wayve’s vice president of commercial and operations, said the company expected passengers to move quickly from novelty to habit once […]
Private hire drivers fight back as union joins growing revolt against robo-ridehail expansion in London
The App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU) has formally backed a planned protest against Waymo’s autonomous vehicle rollout in Brent, escalating opposition to driverless vehicle trials in northwest London. According to TaxiPoint, the union confirmed it will support a joint action organised alongside Brent Greens in Harlesden on Friday 22 May, with members urged to […]
Safety-critical temporary weight restriction on Vauxhall Bridge to be introduced
A new safety-critical 18 tonne weight restriction, except buses and emergency vehicles, will be introduced on the Vauxhall Bridge from 1 July 2026 to ensure the structure remains safe for everyone using it. A diversion route for vehicles above this weight will be put in place for those travelling both northbound and southbound. Vauxhall Bridge carries 39,500 vehicles every […]
Driverless cars will kill the London taxi, says Spectator article
An article in the Spectator by broadcaster Jonathan Sacerdoti, has concluded that the advent of robotaxis will eventually see the end of the traditional London black cab. “Over the last few weeks I’ve been flying in and out of different US cities to record a series of interviews for an upcoming documentary series,” writes Sacerdoti. […]