the Guardian : Wayve robotaxis added to Uber app and will have human in front ready to take over if needed – but only 15 cars licensed
Londoners are now able to hire self-driving taxis for the first time, after rides in Wayve’s autonomous vehicles were added to the Uber app on Thursday.
The chances of landing a robotaxi on request immediately are slim, with only 15 vehicles so far licensed. That contrasts with the more than 100,000 private hire vehicles in the capital – roughly the same number of Uber customers who have registered to take autonomous rides.
The cars will still come with a licensed human driver sitting in the front seat, ready to take over the controls should the need arise.
Transport for London last month licensed Uber and the UK tech company Wayve’s modified Ford Mustang cars as private hire vehicles, whose conditions still require a safety driver supervising.
Regulatory approval for vehicles in fully autonomous operations without a safety driver needs to be granted under a separate government process and agency, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, and is now seen as unlikely this year.
London’s first self-driving taxis for hire hit the streets
