An army of driverless ‘robotaxis’ is heading for UK shores after taking to the roads in the US – the Mirror’s Jeremy Armstrong took one for a spin in Los Angeles
An army of ‘robotaxis’ is heading for Britain next year after taking to the roads in the US.
Baidu has partnered its Apollo Go taxi business with Lyft, one of Uber’s main rivals. It is said to be planning a self-driving taxi service in the UK and Germany in 2026, with competition from a number of international rivals. The Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle initiative is already testing a self-driving, emissions-free shuttle. It ferries passengers between three sites on public roads, a first for the North east. But driverless taxis have been a common sight in America since 2020, with millions of journeys completed across several different cities.
The Mirror did a ‘test ride’ of the driverless Waymo taxis in LA to see what lies in store for UK road users and passengers.
A strange sight greeted me shortly after arrival on US soil. On the way from Los Angeles airport, during the short 20-minute drive to Venice Beach, a Jaguar I-Pace fully electric SUV pulled up next to my vehicle at a traffic light.
I spotted the ‘Noddy style’ hat on the roof straight away, and a woman passenger in the back. There was no driver, and that became a familiar scene on roads across the sprawling metropolis. It is a strange sight for any new arrival from the UK.
There remains opposition to the technology, with the US refusing entry to Chinese-based operators in the country from 2027. But California-based Waymo has carried passengers on millions of journeys across America.
And this is what lies in store for a road near you soon. My early morning departure from Newcastle meant a conventional taxi journey from a city centre suburb to the airport. My cabbie told me about the rise of Uber; he estimated there were thousands on the roads around the city.
Any notion of a chat with the driver disappears when you climb into a Waymo.
The first issue to tackle is getting aboard. Handles are retractable and flush with the door until you press the ‘unlock the door’ in the App (you can also enable automatic door unlocking).
As you climb inside, and take your seat, the computer generated female voice asks if you are ready to start your journey.
You are reminded to remain in the car unless there is an ‘urgent need to exit’. There is then the surreal vision of the steering wheel moving around as if guided by an invisible driver.
It reminded me of the 1971 Hollywood classic “Bedknobs and Broomsticks”, when inanimate objects are brought to life by magic.
My trip (you can take up to three passengers) was taking me through the quiet residential streets of Venice Beach, and a four-lane, mile-long street full of shops, bars, restaurants, and my destination, a coffee shop.
You spin through the traffic at a very sedate pace and cross lanes to get in line, waiting at traffic lights to make a turn. There is an arrival time given, very similar to the Uber experience, and a map of the route to the destination.
It takes a matter of minutes to download the app, order a cab and get underway.
You can follow the arrival of your £130,000 Waymo Jag via your mobile phone, and track the planned route as you travel.
It is a very relaxed ride, at a slow and steady pace, once you get used to the sight of the self turning steering wheel.
We turn right at a busy junction before making our way to another set of lights for a left turn. This time the tight turn involves the navigation of a busy set of lights and a brief wait to make way, all with the use of satellite technology, sensors, and onboard cameras.
We didn’t get over 20-25 mph; the ride took a matter of minutes, covered under 2kms and cost $10 (£7.43). Most unusually for LA, they didn’t ask for a tip.
There is a strict no drink and drugs policy onboard, though how they check on the sobriety of passengers is unclear.
There is a reminder to make sure that you have all your belongings as you alight, and then the driverless cab heads off for its next passenger.
The key question is whether you would feel safe on an LA Freeway, UK motorway or navigating a bustling London street?
That may be the key test for driverless passengers in the UK next year.