Chinese robotaxis could hit UK roads in 2026 as ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft announce a partnership with Baidu to trial the technology.
Both companies hope to gain regulatory approval to test driverless vehicles in London.
Baidu's Apollo Go self-driving taxi service already operates in dozens of cities, mostly in China, and has completed millions of rides without a human behind the wheel.
Transport Minister Heidi Alexander said the news was “another vote of confidence in our plans for autonomous vehicles”, but many remained skeptical about their safety.
“We plan for driverless cars to begin carrying passengers for the first time in the spring under our pilot scheme – using this technology safely and responsibly to transform travel,” Ms Alexander. said in the post on X.
In June, Uber said it would. is pushing forward with its plans to trial self-driving cars in the UK as the government sought to accelerate the creation of pilot projects for small autonomous commercial services such as buses and taxis in 2026.
“We're delighted to accelerate Britain's leadership in the future of mobility by offering Londoners another safe and reliable travel option next year,” it said of its partnership with Baidu on Monday.
In August, Lyft said it intended to roll out self-driving taxis in the UK and Germany as part of a European agreement with Baidu.
The company already operates “autonomous rides” in Atlanta, US, where Uber also operates a robotaxi service through a partnership with Waymo.
Lyft CEO David Risher said this. in a post on X On Monday, London commuters will become “the first in the region to experience Baidu's Apollo Go vehicles.”
But both firms have yet to convince regulators.
Mr. Risher said that if the light goes green, Lyft's initial fleet of dozens of Baidu Apollo Go vehicles would begin testing next year, “with plans to then expand to hundreds.”
But Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology policy at University College London, said driverless cars “can't just scale like other digital technologies.”
“There's a big difference between having a few test cars using public streets as a laboratory and a fully developed, scalable system that becomes a real vehicle for people to use,” he told the BBC.
Self-driving cars are often hailed as the future of transportation, with some claiming they make fewer mistakes than human drivers.
But many people remain concerned about the safety of taxis without a human operator.
Almost 60% of British respondents YouGov poll in October they said that under no circumstances would they feel comfortable in a driverless taxi.
Many also expressed distrust of the technology, with 85% saying they would choose a taxi with a human driver if they were given the same price and convenience.
Cases where autonomous vehicles make mistakes seizing passengers in cars and causing traffic jams or accidents also continue to make headlines.
Self-driving taxi operator Waymo has reportedly suspended its service in San Francisco on Saturday after some of its vehicles stopped working due to a power outage.
Professor Stilgoe said that despite concerns about their safety, as well as privacy and the potential for increased congestion, the UK should lead in “setting standards for technology”.
“London has been really good at removing cars from the city centre,” he said.
“When it comes to traffic, the only thing worse than a single-seater is a car with zero passengers.”
