...ROBOTAXIS...ROBOTAXIS...
LONDON DRIVERLESS TAXI TRIAL FACES CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OVER SAFETY CONCERNS
A controversial trial of Waymo’s driverless taxis in London has come under fire, with critics demanding the programme be halted following a high-profile safety breach. The Brent Green Party has launched a petition urging Mayor Sadiq Khan to suspend the pilot, arguing that the AVs “do not meet the minimum safety standards” required for city streets. The outcry follows a recent incident in Harlesden where a Waymo vehicle drove directly into a police cordon during a double stabbing investigation.
While Waymo - a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, Alphabet - stated the car was in manual mode with a “validation driver in full control,” the lapse has fuelled fears about the technology. Newly elected Green Party councillor Amandine Alexandre labelled the footage “deeply concerning,” stating: “The fact that such vehicles can operate without impunity, putting police investi- gations at risk of compromise, is beyond rational reasoning.” Opponents of the trial are also raising alarms over a lack of public
CHINESE EV XPENG BEATS TESLA TO MASS PRODUCE ROBOTAXI
In a major shift for the global AV market, Chinese automaker XPeng has officially started mass-pro- ducing its first robotaxi, beating rival Tesla to the assembly line. XPeng is the first Chinese auto- maker to achieve this milestone using entirely in-house hardware and software. Instead of building a futuristic pod without a steering wheel, XPeng is saving money and speeding up production by using its existing GX vehicle platform, which also builds its flagship consumer SUV. However, the inside is completely redesigned for passengers, swap- ping out the driver’s
seat for
“gravity seats, privacy glass, and independent rear displays.” Technically, the vehicle is designed for advanced Level 4 autonomy but defiantly avoids expensive LiDAR sensors and HD mapping.
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Instead, it uses a “pure vision solution” powered by cameras and the company’s own VLA 2.0 AI model. This system runs on four custom Turing AI chips, which XPeng claims “compresses response latency to a blistering sub-80 milliseconds.” By controlling everything from the microchips to the factory floor, XPeng gains a massive cost advantage over its rivals. The company plans to start public pilot tests later this year to test real-world conditions. If all goes well, XPeng aims to launch
fully unsupervised,
driverless rides “without on-site safety officers by early 2027,” putting it directly against Tesla’s Cybercab pro-gramme, which is already showing production-spec vehicles and scaling infrastructure in the US.
consultation and potential job losses among professional drivers. Cllr Suzanne Gallagher described the rollout as a “data collection exercise” being “imposed” on the community without their consent. The situation mirrors recent events in New York City, where robotaxi trials were paused due to similar safety fears and a lack of stake- holder support. Waymo has defended its presence with a company spokesperson arguing that while scepticism “is natural,” it usually “fades” once the public becomes accustomed to the cars. To address accountability, the firm highlighted the UK’s Automated Vehicles Act 2024, which ensures that when a car is fully autonomous, “liability rests with the manufacturer or software developer.” City officials remain divided on the issue. Former Brent Council Leader Muhammed Butt suggested it would be “irresponsible” not to engage with a global business bringing significant investment to the borough, though he stressed that engagement “is not a blank cheque.” Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Sadiq Khan said he is “determined to harness the opportunities” of new tech but insisted that safety and public transport networks must not be compromised. The DfT remains supportive of the sector, claiming AVs “could unlock billions” for the UK economy by 2035. However, officials reiterated the Waymo fleet is currently in a testing phase only, carrying no passengers and requiring safety drivers behind the wheel at all times.
JUNE 2026 PHTM
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