Government expects autonomous taxis to complement, not replace, human drivers in London, says Lord Hendy
- Perry Richardson
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The Government has said it expects automated taxi services to complement rather than replace human-driven services when self-driving vehicles begin operating in London under a new regulatory framework planned for 2026.
Responding to a written parliamentary question, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, Minister of State at the Department for Transport, confirmed that the Automated Passenger Services permitting scheme will be introduced in Spring 2026 to regulate self-driving taxi, private hire and bus-like services. He added that “the initial roll-out of automated services is expected to be more small-scale, and we anticipate that automated services can complement human-driven services.”
The comments were made in answer to a question from Lord Taylor of Warwick, who asked what assessment had been made of plans to introduce fully autonomous taxi services in London by late 2026 and how regulatory, safety and workforce issues were being addressed.
Under the proposed framework, any self-driving vehicle intended for use within a commercial Automated Passenger Services (APS) fleet will be required to undergo an assessment by the Vehicle Certification Agency to demonstrate that it can safely drive itself at all times. The certification process is intended to provide a legal route to market for operators seeking to deploy driverless passenger services in Great Britain.
Ministers say initial rollout of self-driving passenger services will be small-scale, with safety assessments required before deployment
For licensed taxi and private hire drivers in the capital, the indication that automated services are expected to complement existing provision rather than displace it will be closely watched. London’s taxi and private hire market remains one of the largest and most tightly regulated in Europe, with strict licensing, vehicle and safety requirements overseen by Transport for London (TfL).
The Government has not set out detailed projections for fleet sizes, operating areas or timelines beyond confirming that the initial phase is likely to be limited in scale. The small-scale approach suggests that early deployments could focus on defined geographies or specific use cases before any wider expansion.
From an operational perspective, the introduction of automated services raises questions around insurance, liability, fleet management and integration with existing booking platforms. While the permitting scheme is designed to address regulatory and safety considerations at a national level, local transport authorities and operators will need to assess how autonomous fleets sit alongside established taxi and private hire networks.
Industry stakeholders are also likely to monitor how workforce implications develop as the technology matures. By framing automated services as complementary, ministers appear to be positioning the technology as an addition to the transport mix rather than a direct substitute for licensed drivers, at least in the early stages of deployment.
Further detail on the permitting scheme, including application processes and technical standards, is expected ahead of its planned introduction in Spring 2026.
Several global mobility and technology firms are now positioning themselves for the first commercial autonomous taxi operations in London as the city prepares for trials under the UK’s new regulatory framework.
One of the most established players is Waymo, the Alphabet-backed autonomous ride-hailing arm of Google’s parent company, which has already begun on-street testing of fully self-driving Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in the UK and is targeting a pilot rollout in the spring or summer of 2026 ahead of wider service launches later in the year. Waymo says its London service is being prepared to complement the city’s existing transport network, emphasising safety and accessibility while working within local regulatory requirements.
Uber is partnering with UK-based autonomy developer Wayve and has begun public trials of Level 4 autonomous vehicles on London roads, building on a strategic collaboration that has seen the two firms work together on AI-driven driving systems. Wider reporting also notes that Uber is exploring additional tests and partnerships, for example using China’s Baidu Apollo Go robotaxi platform, with trials planned to begin in the first half of 2026 if regulatory approvals are secured. For Uber, autonomous taxi services are intended to augment its existing driver network by offering another mobility option within the Uber app, while human drivers continue to serve the bulk of demand and more complex journeys.
Ride-hailing rival Lyft, which entered the European market through its acquisition of the FREENOW platform, has also signalled plans to bring self-driving Baidu Apollo Go vehicles to London in 2026. The vision articulated by Lyft and its partners is for a “hybrid network” where autonomous vehicles work alongside human-driven cars and taxis to meet varied demand profiles across time and geography, targeting use cases such as peak commuter trips and high-frequency corridors.
This mixed-fleet approach reflects a broader industry expectation that driverless services will be integrated gradually, with human drivers remaining critical to overall capacity and service flexibility, especially in complex urban environments.
