Chinese robotaxis could soon be cruising UK streets, with Uber and Lyft teaming up with Baidu to test this exciting tech in 2026. The goal is to get regulatory approval for their trials in London, where self-driving cars are the focus of new transport plans.
Baidu’s Apollo Go service is currently operational in many cities across China. They have completed millions of rides without any human driver. While Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander sees this as a vote of confidence for self-driving technology, some people are still wary about its safety.
“We’re planning to let self-driving cars carry passengers starting in spring, safely transforming travel,” Ms. Alexander mentioned in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter). Uber also accelerated its plans this summer to roll out driverless cars as part of the government’s push for small autonomous transport services in the UK.
Lyft has announced similar ambitions, aiming to introduce driverless taxis in both the UK and Germany. They already provide an autonomous ride service in Atlanta, while Uber collaborates with Waymo in the US for robotaxi rides.
Lyft’s CEO, David Risher, stated that passengers in London will be among the first in Europe to experience Baidu’s Apollo Go vehicles. However, for now, both companies need the green light from regulators before they can begin testing their fleets.
Experts emphasize caution. Jack Stilgoe, a professor at University College London, argues that scaling up driverless technology isn’t as simple as it might seem. “Testing a few vehicles on public streets is different from having a fully-deployed transport system,” he explained.
Public opinion also shows a clear divide. A recent YouGov poll found that nearly 60% of UK respondents would not be comfortable in a driverless taxi. Trust in the technology is low, with 85% stating they’d prefer a human driver if the costs were the same.
Technological mishaps, like autonomous cars trapping passengers or causing traffic jams, contribute to public unease. For instance, Waymo recently suspended its service in San Francisco after a power outage caused its vehicles to malfunction. Prof. Stilgoe noted that the UK should lead in setting safety and privacy standards for this technology, especially since it has successfully reduced car congestion in cities like London.
As self-driving taxis move closer to reality, striking a balance between innovation and public safety will be critical.
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