London Prepares for First Autonomous Taxis

Londoners will be able to sign up for rides in the British capital's first autonomous taxis from Monday. The service, developed by Uber and British startup Wayve, is expected to launch after receiving regulatory approval in the coming months.

The vehicles, based on Ford Mustang Mach-E models, will use artificial intelligence technology developed by Wayve. Trained safety operators will initially remain behind the wheel to monitor the system.

Autonomous taxi services already operate in several cities in the United States and China. Europe has been slower to adopt the technology because of regulatory barriers and the complexity of urban environments. According to Wayve, this will be the first time members of the public in the UK can summon an autonomous vehicle on demand.

The companies have been testing the technology on London's streets since 2018. Passengers will be able to choose between autonomous and conventional rides, with fares expected to remain unchanged.

The British government supports the testing of self-driving vehicles and says the technology could improve road safety, support economic growth and create skilled jobs. In February, Wayve secured $1.5bn in investment funding.

(reuters, bak)