London's robotaxi launch slips again as regulator sits on the rulebook
Uber, Wayve, Waymo and Baidu are all stuck waiting for Transport for London to publish the guidance needed before driverless taxis can legally operate.
What happened: London's push to get fully driverless taxis on the road this year has stalled. Uber and Wayve recently won the capital's first minicab licences for self-driving rides, but only with a human safety driver on board. The government had promised driverless trials by spring 2026, but Transport for London still hasn't published the operating guidance companies need to apply for approval. TfL's strategy director told city officials there's "no rush" to release it, even as three separate firms wait on the sidelines.
Why it matters: More than 100,000 Londoners have reportedly signed up for Uber and Wayve's waitlist. Robotaxis already run in over 20 cities across the US, China and the Middle East, and Zagreb just became the first European city to offer public rides (still with a monitoring driver). London was meant to be a flagship European launch, but Wayve's own CEO admits the city is "a significant step up in complexity" compared with Phoenix or San Francisco, where robotaxis already operate without any driver at all.
How it works, plainly: Two separate approvals are needed. TfL has granted 15 licences for Wayve-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-Es to carry paying passengers, but only with a licensed driver ready to take over. To go fully driverless, a company needs an "automated passenger services permit" from the DVSA — and none have been issued yet. Wayve plans to swap in a new driverless-ready Nissan Leaf once that permit process clears, but there's no date for when that will happen.
The rollout: Baidu began London road tests only last month and targets public rides in 2027. Waymo is also testing in London and separately confirmed this week it will bring driverless rides to Munich by late 2027 — its first EU market, after earlier moves into London and Tokyo testing. Waymo's UK policy lead says the company hopes for a fully autonomous London service "by the end of this year" but won't commit to when paying customers could actually ride in one.