The UK Government is Fast-Tracking Self-Driving Taxis - Could be on the Roads by 2026
Self-driving taxis, buses and shuttles are set to be on the UK roads in 2026, as the UK Government looks to fast-track pilot schemes
The autonomous future is nearly upon us, as the UK Government has rubber-stamped self-driving pilot schemes, meaning they could be on UK roads from 2026.
The news was confirmed by the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, yesterday. She touted that a potential 38,000 jobs would be created, along with an estimated £42 billion added to the UK economy.
It’s also claimed that “cutting-edge innovation, regulation and road safety”, and automated vehicle legislation, which is said to be “the most robust in the world”, will drastically improve road safety. The DfT states that self-driving taxis, buses, and shuttles must achieve a level of safety” at least as high as a competent and careful human driver”, and that systems will undergo rigorous safety tests before being allowed on our roads.
Speaking about a transition to a driverless future, the Transport Secretary said:
“The future of transport is arriving. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology.
“With road safety at the heart of our pilots and legislation, we continue to take bold steps to create jobs, back British industry, and drive innovation to deliver our Plan for Change.”
Self-driving trials have already been taking place in the UK since January 2015, with British companies Wayve and Oxa. From spring 2026, self-driving cars without a safety driver could be available for people to book via an app for the first time. And there is a ‘could’ in that statement, thanks to an ongoing consultation on the matter. That consultation is looking to clarify how safety standards can be drawn up and how the vehicle's safety can be measured, although I’d have hoped they already had some ideas on those points.
Self-driving cars in the USA have been around for some time, although for people riding motorcycles, that's not been a wholly good thing. There have been notable incidents across the pond when self-driving vehicles have misread the road ahead when a biker is present. Most notable was the Seattle biker who was killed by a Tesla that was apparently in fully autonomous driving mode. The human 'driver' in that incident was looking at his phone at the time of the crash. Had he not been, he could have taken control and prevented the rider's death.
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Wayve images from Wayve.ai
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
