Driverless cars undergo 'training' ahead of arrival in London 'this year'

Waymo, a driverless vehicle company owned by Google, have said they aim for their cars to be tested in the capital before the end of this year.

The company aims to launch a pilot program in April, which will see safety inspectors monitor the driverless cars as they navigate London's streets. This will progress to testing fully autonomous driving in "Q4" of 2026.

Driverless SUVs make up the majority of Waymo's fleet. The Jaguar I-PACE is covered in cameras and sensors which help its AI software follow directions and make decisions.

24 Jaguars are already being driven around London by humans to collect data and map streets. Waymo hopes to expand this into a robotaxi service by 2027 if testing succeeds and the UK Government approves.

Despite this, Brits harbour serious concerns about the safety of driverless vehicles. Many feel that current road-safety legislation is not ready to deal with accidents caused by AI-driven cars.

Waymo emphasise that their cars have a strong safety record and a "superhuman level of perception."

"Our sensors are able to perceive the world around them, much better, much more accurately and with more of a field of view than human drivers can," said Nicole Gavel, head of business development at Waymo.

Labour is enthusiastic about London's robotaxi potential. Lilian Greenwood, Minister for local transport, said: "We're delighted that [Waymo] chose London."

Following the Automated Vehicles Act in May 2024, the Government has launched consultations and fast-tracked applications to attract international firms like Waymu, Baidu, Uber and Wave.

The Department of Transport claim a robotaxi industry would create 38,000 jobs and add £42bn to the UK economy by 2035.

Waymo already runs a 24/7 robotaxi service across the US. Passengers use an app to hail a Waymo taxi and to unlock the vehicle upon arrival.

450,000 Americans use Waymo every week in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.