Uber is “ready to go” with introducing driverless cars on UK roads but the government is planning to delay their introduction until 2027.
Uber is ready to introduce driverless cars to the UK.
The transport firm has revealed that it is ready to launch the fully autonomous cars as soon as they are approved, but the UK Government has pushed back the date that it plans to approve the completely self-driven vehicles.
The previous Conservative administration said that self-driven cars “were set to be on roads by 2026” but the Labour government says the development is more like to take place in the second half of 2027.
Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president of mobility at Uber, told the BBC:”We’re ready to launch robotaxis in the UK as soon as the regulatory environment is ready for us.”
Some limited self-driving technology is already permitted on British roads, but a human driver must be at the wheel and responsible for the vehicle – even if automated technology is in use.
Macdonald does not subscribe to the argument that the UK is behind the rest of the world and claims that the US and China are ahead as that is where the majority of the tech has been developed.
The Department for Transport said in a statement: “We are working quickly and will implement self-driving vehicle legislation in the second half of 2027.
“We are also exploring options for short-term trials and pilots to create the right conditions for a thriving self-driving sector.”
Meanwhile, Macdonald argues that automated vehicles will be transformative for the way young people travel.
The Uber chief said: “I’ve got young kids.
“Do I think my daughters will necessarily get their driver’s licences when they turn 16? (The legal age in his native Canada).
“No – I think the world is changing a lot.”
Uber is ‘ready to go’ with driverless cars in the UK
