London's private hire drivers are demanding a halt to robotaxi plans, following a London Assembly Transport Committee report that questions whether the capital is ready for autonomous passenger services. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has urged Transport for London (TfL) to stop the rollout, warning that thousands of jobs are at risk. The report, published Monday, concludes that there is not enough evidence to persuade the committee that London should welcome driverless taxis.
The report highlights several incidents involving autonomous test vehicles, including a car entering a police cordon, another driving the wrong way down a one-way street, and a collision with a motorcycle. It also notes that none of the vehicles currently being trialed are wheelchair accessible. Beyond safety, the committee raised concerns about congestion, as robotaxis could pull passengers away from public transport and add empty miles between fares. A YouGov survey commissioned by the committee found 42% of Londoners oppose autonomous passenger vehicles, while only 29% support them.
The committee stopped short of recommending a ban, instead proposing tougher safety requirements, giving TfL the power to cap vehicle numbers, and creating a process to suspend permits. It also wants TfL to take over permitting when the Automated Vehicles Act is fully implemented, expected in the second half of 2027. Meanwhile, companies like Waymo, Wayve, and Baidu are preparing to launch services, with Waymo hoping to deploy a commercial fleet this year and Freenow and Baidu targeting a fully driverless launch in 2027. The union, however, wants the rollout stopped entirely, with president Alex Marshall warning that the technology would benefit tech companies and investors at the expense of workers.