SELF-DRIVING tech company Waymo has started testing fully autonomous Jaguar I‑Pace SUVs in the UK – with the first of these modified motors now operating in London.
As part of a new government-backed pilot scheme, the US company is looking to speed up the deployment of driverless tech in Britain.
Waymo, which already operates driverless taxi services across six US states and has recently expanded into Japan, is one of the early participants.
Uber, perhaps a more household name in the UK, is expected to join the same scheme in spring, pairing up with mapping company Wayve for its own driverless fleet.
Under the scheme, both Waymo and Uber will be able to run this technology ahead of the point at which privately owned driverless cars are expected to become legal on UK roads.
Current legislation is not anticipated until the second half of next year with the transport minister, Heidi Alexander, saying last year: “Cutting edge investment like this will help us deliver our mission to be world-leaders in new technology and spearhead national renewal that delivers real change in our communities.”
According to Autocar, industry figures have praised the start of driverless ride-hailing testing as a significant milestone.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has described it as a “landmark” moment and argues that both industry and government now need to maintain Britain’s position in global innovation.
The SMMT’s chief executive, Mike Hawes, frames the prospect of self-driving cars in London as a concrete sign that the UK’s regulatory ambitions are turning into a real-world shift in how people travel.
Waymo, which boasts engineering hubs in London and Oxford, said the services will “help achieve London’s transport priorities”.
This includes a reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the city’s roads.
The firm’s co-CEO, Tekedra Mawakana, added that Waymo “is making roads safer and transportation more accessible where we operate”.
This argument has been echoed by Road Safety GB, whose director suggests autonomous vehicles could significantly improve safety because removing the human driver removes a major source of error.
Waymo is not the only company testing autonomy in the UK, as Nissan has also run trials with a fleet of Leaf cars on both urban and rural routes.
