When Waymo announced this week that London will host its first European fleet with autonomous taxis hitting the capital’s streets from next year, I thought it was the perfect time to test one out.
It’s an unusual feeling, sitting in a car with no one in the driver’s seat, watching it turn, brake and steer as if by magic.
Yet this has become increasingly normal in San Francisco, where I recently climbed into a Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous ride-hailing service.
The seatbelt clicked over the empty driver’s seat, the touchscreen lit up, and a live map displayed every vehicle, pedestrian, and cyclist around me.
The ride was surprisingly smooth and eerily efficient, albeit slightly unnerving.
Waymo lands in London
Waymo’s UK launch will begin with a small fleet of human-supervised vehicles, moving to fully autonomous operations by 2026.
“Our vehicles will arrive in London in the coming weeks”, Waymo’s Ethan Teicher told CityAM. “We’ll start with a small fleet and gradually expand, working closely with the Department for Transport and Transport for London to ensure safety and regulatory compliance at every stage”.
The London rollout will feature all-electric Jaguar models, supported by fleet operations partner Moove.
Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo co-chief executive, added: “We’re thrilled to bring the reliability, safety, and benefits of Waymo to Londoners”.
“We’ve demonstrated how to responsibly scale fully autonomous ride-hailing, and we can’t wait to expand our technology to the UK”.
First-hand robotaxi experience
Booking a Waymo feels remarkably familiar: enter your destination, track the car in real-time, tap to unlock, and set off.
Its fares are distance-based. My San Francisco trip cost $14.43 (£11.40), roughly 28 per cent more than its rivals Uber or Bolt for the same route, which charged $11.26 (£8.90) and $10.80 (£8.50) respectively.
Once underway, the vehicle’s AI takes over, monitoring everything within its 360-degree sensor field.
The car obeys speed limits and maintains safe distances, as it navigates intersections with the patience most human drivers lack.
The ride is steady, corners are handled relatively neatly, and the car anticipates cyclists and pedestrians with surprising precision.
From the touchscreen, the passenger can adjust the music and temperature, while a digital display tracks surroundings like a quiet, interactive video game.
Teicher told City AM: “Safety is our primary focus. Across more than 100m autonomous miles in the US, our vehicles are involved in five times fewer injury-causing collisions and eleven times fewer collisions causing serious injuries compared to human drivers”.
But despite the company’s promising numbers, autonomous vehicles are far from being risk-free.
Data from Waymo’s US operations have shown over 460 reported incidents, including collisions causing minor injuries and at least one fatality, illustrating that AI-driven cars still face real-world unpredictability.
AI could struggle in a complex urban environment with unpredictable human behaviour, meaning driverless cars are not yet foolproof.
The London opportunity
Waymo’s self-driving tech is set to align with London’s broader transport priorities, aiming to reduce road injuries and expand mobility options.
Robin Spinks, head of inclusive design at the RNIB, said: “Autonomous vehicles hold the potential to safely enable spontaneous travel for blind and partially sighted people – providing a level of independence previously unavailable”.
There are economic benefits, too. Teicher claimed: “Autonomous ride-hailing can grow the transport sector while creating jobs in fleet operations, depot management, and vehicle maintenance. Partnerships like the one with Moove integrate local expertise with our technology”.
What’s more, the UK government has estimated that the autonomous vehicle sector could create 38,000 jobs by 2035.
Waymo’s phased London rollout begins with a small fleet under human supervision, expanding gradually as regulators approve..
Teicher added: “We aim to complement London’s goals for reducing serious injuries and fatalities on the roads. Our technology operates predictably and safely in urban environments, and we’re excited to bring these benefits to the UK”.
However, a 2024 survey by the RAC Foundation found that a whole 45 per cent of Londoners are open to riding in driverless vehicles, with 38 per cent still uneasy, mainly citing safety concerns.
Ethical debates also persist around how self-driving AI should behave in potential accident scenarios, and whether human oversight can be scaled effectively for larger fleets.
Exciting, but not risk-free
Waymo’s entry into the British market is as much a strategic expansion as it is a technological gamble.
London’s narrow streets, congested traffic, and intricate road network will challenge the system in ways American cities never have.
With the Automated Vehicles Act set to provide a legal framework for fully autonomous vehicles by 2026, the stage is being set for a new wave of mobility.
The company arrives with an enviable track record, citing over 100m autonomous miles driven, millions of paid trips completed, and fewer collisions than human drivers.
But public confidence and the economics of robotaxi fares remain uncertain.
The potential rewards, however, are compelling: lower emissions, safer roads, and expanded mobility for those who cannot drive.
Ultimately, London will be Waymo’s proving ground, showing whether autonomous cab hailing can succeed in one of the most challenging environments.