Uber launches UK's first robotaxis with a driver - here's what it's like to ride in one

Uber has become the first company to launch a self-driving minicab in the UK, and for now the whole thing is very much on training wheels. The fleet in London is tiny: 15 autonomous vehicles, each carrying a human safety driver who can grab the wheel if the system gets stuck or spooked.

The cars are Ford Mustang electric vehicles running Wayve’s software, which uses sensors and AI to read what’s happening around the car in real time. They aren’t following a fixed script. The car decides on the spot, which is either reassuring or mildly terrifying depending on how you feel about robotics and traffic in central London.

Uber says more than 100,000 London-based customers told it through the app that they’d pick a self-driving taxi if one were available. The ride pricing is being kept simple: the fare matches a standard UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort trip, with upfront prices shown in the app. But you won’t see the robotaxi option until after the booking is made, and only if one of the cars is nearby.

My own ride was mostly uneventful, which is exactly what you want from a vehicle with no driver. The car handled traffic lights, roadworks and even a cyclist at a mini roundabout. Then, on a narrow side street, a parked van’s back doors swung open and the safety driver took over as the car braked hard and an alarm beeped. Wayve later said the driver chose to intervene and its system would likely have coped anyway.

That small drama neatly captures where the UK is right now. The industry is talking about fully driverless cars for hire in London by the end of 2026, but that looks increasingly unlikely. The Department for Transport says it is working toward a framework for self-driving cars on roads in 2027, while Transport for London says it is not blocking anything and wants to get it right. Meanwhile, Waymo is already mapping London with safety drivers in its cars, and Baidu is also aiming at the UK market.