Waymo launching invitation-only membership
Robotaxi users in the US who rely on driverless trips may soon get an exclusive upgrade after Waymo announced that launch of its “Waymo Premier” service. The new initiative is an invitation-only monthly membership programme tailored for its most frequent riders in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, says KTAR News. The membership will cost […]
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 […]
Ministers to rule on self-driving taxis in Scotland
Scottish ministers are to decide whether to permit self-driving taxis north of the Border after a firm announced autonomous cabs would carry their first passengers on UK roads “in the next couple of months”. Wayve is teaming up with Uber to offer a similar service in London to that operated by companies such as Waymo […]
London Assembly investigating aims and objectives of autonomous passenger vehicle trials
With several trials of autonomous passenger vehicles underway in London in 2026, and with operators aiming to launch commercial services by the end of the year, a London Assembly committee has launched an investigation to explore whether and how autonomous passenger vehicles could be licenced for commercial operations in London, and what role the Mayor […]
Transport adviser issues driverless taxi safety warning
Westminster Council’s Chief Transport Adviser, Hugh Brennan, has warned that driverless taxis are a serious collision risk. Waymo is trialling driverless Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in the capital, intending to roll them out to the public in September, says the Daily Telegraph. Although they are being tested with safety drivers on board, the robotaxis have been […]
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 […]
Self-driving cars lack common sense, says Autobrains CEO
Igal Raichelgauz, the CEO of AI technology firm Autobrains, says self-driving cars lack “common sense”, after thousands of vehicles were recalled in the US when a Waymo robotaxi drove onto a flooded road and was swept away. Raichelgauz said that manufacturers train their vehicles by “feeding examples” of road conditions, which can go wrong if […]
UPDATE – Trial and error: Can Waymo win its battle of hearts of minds?
Calls have been made to suspend the ongoing driverless taxi trial in London due to concerns about a “lack of stakeholder support and unresolved safety fears”. Brent Green Party claims the autonomous vehicles “do not meet the minimum safety standards” after one car drove into a police cordon in Harlesden last month, says My London. Waymo launched its […]
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. […]
Union declares “state of emergency” over robotaxis
A union representing app drivers and couriers working in the gig economy has warned of an “unprecedented jobs crisis” faced because of the planned introduction of driverless taxis in London this year. In a post on Facebook, the App Drivers and Couriers Union declared a “state of emergency” for 100,000 London private hire drivers. Its […]