GOOGLE’S self-driving taxis Waymo could hit the UK’s roads as soon as September.
The driverless ride-hailing firm already has manned vehicles on the streets to train the AI ahead of launch.
Waymo has been available in selected US cities for several years now, starting with a public trial in Phoenix, Arizona in 2017.
The service – which is owned by Google parent Alphabet – has driven some 173million fully autonomous miles on public roads across the pond already.
Riders can hail one with an app much like Uber where you set your location – except a car with no human driver inside turns up.
Waymo uses custom-fitted all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs that feature an array of 360-degree sensors to safely carry out journeys autonomously.
Read more about self-driving
BACK TO BLACK
Brits say they’d choose black cabs over self-driving cars as driverless taxis edge closer to reality
NO WAYMO
Moment three self-driving taxis clog up street and stop moving in AI standoff
Bosses had previously announced that they planned to launch in London – one of the first spots outside of the US – in 2026.
But at an event in the London Transport Museum on Wednesday they issued an update on their plans, as well as showing off their fleet of cars.
A pilot trial is set start in April and the company aims to launch to the wider public as soon as September, according to BBC News.
However, the timing will very much depend road regulations.
The Government has said that it is keen to position the UK as a leader in autonomous vehicle technology and is working on a regulatory framework to ensure self-driving taxis can be rolled out safely on British roads.
Waymo also gave a hint about pricing, saying it would be “competitive” but “premium”.
I’VE ALREADY TRIED WAYMO – HERE’S WHAT IT’S LIKE
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
As a technology journalist I was excited to try this potential game-changer on a trip to San Francisco – and the prospect of avoiding small talk with a taxi driver.
No taxi driver also means no need to tip, wonderful.
The actual experience of being driven around by AI without a person sat behind the driver’s seat is not as scary as some may think.
At least, I didn’t feel unsafe.
Despite this, I don’t think they will work in London or the UK for two very key reasons.
However, both of these issues can be changed by bosses at Alphabet (the company that owns Google and Waymo).
The first snag I noticed was convenience.
It all ran much like Uber, via an app with live information.
But to my annoyance I had to wait 11 minutes until it arrived, which is considerably less than human-operated rivals.
Londoners aren’t going to wait 11 minutes, so there had better be a sizeable fleet.
The second major setback is a big one – price.
Read my full verdict here
And much like existing ride-hailing apps you can expect prices to rise during busy periods when they’re in high demand.
They won’t serve airports initially.
But Waymo isn’t the only one vying to get self-driving taxis on the UK’s roads.
Uber-backed Wayve is also planning to launch in 2026 as well.
Sign up for The Sun Tech newsletter for gadgets, games & more
Hello! I’m Sean Keach, The Sun’s Head of Technology and Science
I’ve been writing about gadgets, games and the future of technology for more than a decade.
During that time I’ve penned thousands of articles, filmed hundreds of videos, talked tech on TV and radio, and travelled around the world to bring you the latest on Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon, Netflix and more.
And I’ve got a weekly newsletter called The Sun Tech that you can read for free every Thursday.
I bring you the latest from the world of tech, including behind-the-scenes action, exclusive content, expert analysis, and plenty of help advice – so please follow along!
