Another week, another tube strike. London commuters trudging through the rain, more cyclists than usual wobbling through busy junctions, buses packed tighter than a sardine tin. London’s transport woes are as predictable as the weather, and often as miserable. However, while many commentators are focusing on pay deals and signalling failures, the future is quietly pulling up to the kerb: the driverless taxi.
Of course, plenty of commuters might scoff. Self-driving taxis? Especially in London where double-decker buses jostle with millions of other people making their way to and from work and play? The Mayor of London has already urged “caution”. Some have, sadly, read that as kicking the driverless taxi ball into the long grass.
However, when Sadiq Khan sees what driverless cabs could do for Britain’s and London’s transport, environment and tech sector, I’m certain he will change his tune.
That’s because scepticism about self-driving taxis melts away once you’ve actually sat in one.
Research shows it’s not geography or culture that matters; it’s experience.
In the US, where autonomous taxis already operate, riders who’ve actually used them report overwhelmingly positive experiences. Safety and reliability score top marks, higher than your average “minicab”.
One stat leaps out: 76% of passengers who tried a self-driving cab said they trusted the tech. Among those who hadn’t? Just 20%. Familiarity breeds confidence, not contempt.
If you think city commuters are too cynical for this, think again. In just 18 months, San Francisco went from zero to nearly a quarter of all taxi journeys being autonomous.
Imagine it: one in four rides with no driver at the wheel.
So when the trains go on strike and the buses are packed, why shouldn’t commuters have another option waiting at the kerb?
These robotaxis are also all electric. That means cleaner air and quieter streets. The innovation follows the demand. And the demand is coming.
Indeed, there are already plans from UK start-up Wayve to launch fully driverless robotaxi trials in London in spring 2026 under the UK’s fast-track autonomous vehicle framework. Not in America, not in Tokyo, but here, in the UK.
British industry deserves to lead. We can deliver growth, jobs and innovation to make the UK proud—and get you to work on time.
The question isn’t whether London and other UK cities will have driverless taxis. It’s whether we’ll embrace them, or let the sceptics, the naysayers, and the professional doom-mongers hold us back.
Because while we stand fuming, staring at departure boards displaying “delayed” and “cancelled”, the world is moving on.
The self-driving cab isn’t sci-fi. It’s parked around the corner, ready to go.
Robin Heap is CEO and Founder at Zest, an Infratech business focused on Electric Vehicle charging