A fleet of self-driving cars to be used as “robotaxis” by Uber in London have been granted minicab licences.
Tech firm Wayve said Transport for London (TfL) has awarded private hire vehicle (PHV) licences to a number of its autonomous pure electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles.
Rides later this summer
Uber confirmed some of the 100,000 people who signed up to express their interest in experiencing robotaxis will be offered rides in the vehicles “later this summer”, ahead of a full public launch.
A human driver will initially sit behind the wheel ready to take control during journeys, while the technology is demonstrated to be safe.
Key milestone
Wayve vice president for global affairs and assurance, Sarah Gates, said: “This licence is an important step towards giving Londoners the chance to experience autonomous driving technology.
“The responsible deployment of these vehicles will bring us safer, cleaner and quieter streets, and we’re proud to continue working alongside regulators, communities and the public as we take the next steps towards making autonomous rides a reality in the capital.”
Uber global head of autonomous mobility operations Annie Duvnjak said: “This licence is a key milestone in bringing autonomous rides to London on Uber.
“Our interest list has seen an incredible response from Londoners who are excited to experience Wayve’s British-built autonomous driving technology.”
Safety first
A TfL spokesperson said safety is its “top priority” and any new vehicle licensed to carry passengers in London must align with its target of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads by 2041.
Wayve’s modifications to the Mustang Mach-E – such as its six cameras – were assessed by experts and found “they do not compromise passenger safety”, he added.
A qualified driver must be present and remain responsible for the car under the terms of a PHV licence.
Uber and Wayve will be required to obtain separate approval from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency if they want to operate the cars without a driver.
Background
Wayve was founded in 2017 by two University of Cambridge PhD students.
London will be the first city in the world to use its technology for commercial journeys.
Wayve is also working with car manufacturers such as Nissan and Stellantis to deploy its systems in private vehicles.
