‘They’re living in fantasy land’: Uber to trial self-driving taxis in London next spring

Partnership with Wayve will use cars without a human safety driver onboard for the first time in Europe

Tech firms have transformed how the public takes taxis, but echoes remain from the minicab controllers of old: not least the promise that a long-awaited vehicle is - really, this time - just around the corner.

Now Uber has announced that self-driving taxis will appear on roads in London next year, after the UK government confirmed that trials of fully autonomous vehicles would be brought forward to spring 2026.