Uber to trial self-driving taxis on London streets from 2026, as UK greenlights commercial driverless services and fast-tracks legislation to position Britain as a leader in autonomous transport
Uber is set to trial self-driving taxis on the streets of London by next year, as part of a sweeping UK government-backed initiative to bring autonomous vehicles to the public. The ride-hailing giant confirmed that its pilot scheme will begin with human safety drivers behind the wheel, but the aim is to eventually offer fully driverless rides by 2026, Associated Press reported.
The ambitious plan, revealed on Tuesday, marks the first time companies will be permitted to trial commercial driverless services without a human operator in the UK. Alongside Uber, several other firms are expected to test autonomous taxis and “bus-like” services in what the government sees as a milestone moment for British transport innovation.
“London’s roads are some of the most complex and congested in the world,” said Andrew Macdonald, Uber’s global mobility chief. “Our vision is to make autonomy a safe and reliable option for riders everywhere, and this trial in London brings that future closer to reality.”
Riders in the capital will be able to hail these driverless vehicles using the Uber app from spring 2026, with a full-scale rollout potentially following in 2027 when the new Automated Vehicles Act is expected to come into force.
The Department for Transport hailed the launch as a “historic step forward” in both transport and technology policy. Government projections claim that driverless vehicle technology could inject £42 billion into the UK economy by 2035 and create up to 38,000 high-tech jobs. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the move as “proof that the future of transport is arriving”, adding that the UK must seize the opportunity to be a world leader in AI-driven mobility.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle echoed this sentiment, stating, “We can’t afford to take a back seat on AI. That’s why we’re accelerating these trials – to unlock innovation, jobs, and global leadership.”
While trials of autonomous vehicles in the UK date back to 2015, this marks the first time that commercial services may operate without an in-vehicle supervisor. British tech firms like Wayve and Oxa are also participating in the early phases of the programme and are said to be making “world-leading breakthroughs” in autonomous navigation.
“This next phase of deployment helps build public trust and opens up entirely new services and business models,” said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall. “With each trip, the technology becomes safer and smarter.”
Government officials insist that safety will remain paramount. According to the new legislation, self-driving cars must perform at least as safely as “a competent and careful human driver.” The vehicles will be trained on vast datasets and simulated driving scenarios and are expected to outperform humans in terms of reaction time and decision-making in complex traffic conditions.
The UK’s entry into the commercial driverless race comes as other global powers move quickly. In China, a fleet of over 500 autonomous taxis already operates in the city of Wuhan, while US cities such as Phoenix and San Francisco are experimenting with similar app-based services.
For Uber, which has tested autonomous technologies in the US and partnered with developers globally, London represents both a technical challenge and a market opportunity. The city’s congested roads, roundabouts, and complex junctions make it one of the toughest environments for any AI-driven system to navigate.
If the London trials succeed, the UK could see a gradual expansion of private driverless cars, freight vehicles, and even autonomous buses – dramatically reshaping how people move through cities. With regulation now catching up to innovation, Britain appears ready to put autonomous vehicles in the fast lane.
