The streets of London, famed for its iconic black cabs, are set to become a European battleground for autonomous vehicle technology. In a significant development, US ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft have announced plans to launch separate driverless taxi trials in the capital in 2026, both in partnership with Chinese tech leader Baidu.
London Becomes Europe's Premier Testbed
This move cements the United Kingdom's position as Europe's leading testbed for commercialising robotaxis. The initiative is underpinned by the Automated Vehicles Act of 2024, which provides a crucial legal framework by shifting liability for incidents from the person in the vehicle to the "authorised self-driving entity." The 2026 timeline is contingent on the government finalising these regulations and granting formal approval to the companies.
The planned trials set the scene for a unique competition, marking the first time that US and Chinese autonomous vehicle giants will go head-to-head in a European capital. This follows the recent commencement of supervised tests in London by Alphabet-owned Waymo, another major US player in the self-driving arena.
Fleets, Technology, and Global Context
Lyft's CEO, David Risher, revealed that his company's trials will utilise Baidu's Apollo Go RT6 vehicles, which are specifically designed for rideshare services. "We expect to start testing our initial fleet with dozens of vehicles next year - pending regulatory approval," Risher stated, adding that the company "plans to scale to hundreds from there."
Meanwhile, London-based AI startup Wayve is also preparing to launch its own driverless trials in 2026. Backed by a substantial $1 billion (£750m) investment led by SoftBank and Uber, Wayve will test its innovative "mapless" AI technology on London's complex and often unpredictable road network.
This boom in London mirrors a global surge, with Baidu and its rival WeRide expanding operations in the US, the Middle East, and Switzerland. For Lyft, the UK trial represents a cornerstone of its international strategy following its $200 million (£148m) acquisition of the European taxi app FreeNow earlier this year.
Safety, Public Trust, and Industry Skepticism
The rollout of self-driving taxis has not been without challenges. A notable incident in December 2024 saw a passenger nearly miss a flight after their robotaxi began driving in circles, leaving them feeling "dizzy." Furthermore, a 2024 study indicated that while autonomous vehicles are generally safer, they are over five times more likely to be involved in an accident during low-light conditions at dawn or dusk, or when executing turns.
Public and industry trust remains a hurdle. Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, expressed skepticism in October 2025, calling driverless cabs a "novelty" and a "gimmick." He questioned who needed such a service and doubted Londoners would trust the technology, especially with their children.
In response to safety concerns, Waymo highlighted its operational experience, noting it provides hundreds of thousands of rides weekly in the US and had completed over 10 million fully autonomous rides by May 2025. As London prepares for this simultaneous testing of competing technologies in 2026, the city is poised to become a critical observatory for the future of urban transport.
