This week, autonomous vehicle company Waymo announced plans to bring its driverless taxis to London in 2026. The initial phase will involve safety trials with specialist drivers on board before passengers are eventually able to book autonomous rides.
For private hire and taxi drivers in London, this could mean a shift in the ridesharing industry. Let’s explore the details of the trial, what it means for ridesharing services, and what the driving community is saying.
Who is Waymo?
Waymo started life as a Google project back in 2009, and is now part of corporate giant, Alphabet. Based in the US, Waymo provides a driverless ride-hailing service that first launched in San Francisco and has since expanded to other cities, including Tokyo.
The company recently celebrated a major milestone: 10 million autonomous rides taken in their driverless taxis.
Waymo aims to expand mobility to more people and reduce the countless lives lost globally due to traffic accidents caused by human error.
Working closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL), the trial will begin in Spring 2026. These piloted trials are the first step toward a full autonomous vehicle (AV) rollout planned for the second half of 2027.
The key purpose of the trial is to test how AVs handle the unique challenges of London’s roads. Waymo aims to use the narrow roads, busy roundabouts, and high volume of pedestrians to refine its vehicle training, adapting its technology for environments very different from the more car-friendly streets of the US.
The UK government is currently supporting the move, stating that driverless cars could generate up to 38,000 jobs, help make roads safer, and contribute billions to the economy.
But Waymo isn't alone. Reports suggest that other driver platforms, such as Uber and Wayve, are also exploring opportunities to introduce their own vehicles in the near future.
With such a significant change on the horizon, what is the reaction from private hire and taxi drivers?
Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, expressed doubts, telling Sky News:
“It's a novelty, it is a gimmick. It is the solution that we don't need.”
Adding that he believes Londoners will take time to embrace driverless vehicles.
Data from other driver communities reflect mixed feelings:
Therefore, earning public trust and confidence is a key priority for companies like Waymo as they launch their trials.
The introduction of AVs raises important questions about the future of the private hire industry and driver livelihoods.
AVs will face intense testing when navigating the challenges of adverse road conditions, bad weather, and London’s tight streets - areas where human drivers currently excel. While Waymo’s 10 million autonomous trips are a huge milestone, it is still early days compared to Uber’s 11.27 billion trips worldwide in 2024 alone.
While we will surely see more AVs on our roads in the coming years, it will be a while before passengers start choosing robotaxis over human drivers consistently. For the time being, drivers like you remain the heart of the on-demand economy.
Leave a comment below to let us know your thoughts! We'll use your insights in a future blog about what our drivers think about robotaxis, Waymo and how AVs could change the private hire industry, so get writing!
Sources:
DM News Waymo Launch
Sky News - Waymo Launch
Rideshare Guy poll
Uber 11 billion trips
UK Government - Autonomous Vehicle rollout 2027