ROBOTAXIS...ROBOTAXIS
LONDON’S SELF-DRIVING ROBOTAXI CAUGHT BREAKING THE LAW BY RUNNING RED LIGHT
A high-tech driverless car has been caught on camera driving through a red light in central London. Alex Kendall, the boss of British tech company Wayve, posted the video on social media to show off his car's “impressive drive without intervention” on his way to receive an OBE from the Princess Royal. However, the footage revealed the car moving through a red light at Parliament Square while trying to navigate heavy traffic next to a bus. The company has since admitted the mistake, explaining that their vehicles are “prototypes” that still
While some argued the car acted like a typical human driver in a traffic jam, running a red light is a serious offence that usually results in a fine and penalty points on a licence.
have humans behind the wheel to monitor them. A spokesperson for Wayve said: “We acknowledge that the more appropriate action would have been to manually take over the vehicle and keep it stationary until a green light was visible again.”
The incident has raised questions about how robotaxis will be policed. Steve McNamara, from the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, pointed out that human cabbies can lose their jobs very easily for driving errors, asking: “Who is going to police these things and who is responsible for the points?”
NEARLY HALF OF BRITS WOULDN’T FEEL SAFE IN A DRIVERLESS TAXI ACCORDING TO SURVEY
As autonomous vehicles begin to navigate the streets of London, a new study reveals that the British public remains deeply sceptical of hitching a ride in a robotaxi. Research by
Go.Compare Car Insurance found that 46% of adults “wouldn’t feel safe using a driverless Uber,” highlighting a significant hurdle for the government-backed technology currently being trialled in the capital. The survey of 2,000 people arrived following the January launch of self-driving SUVs in London, with Uber expected to join the pilot scheme this spring. Results of the survey, which asked for their thoughts on driverless taxis, found that: • 46% of those who took part said they would not feel safe using a
PHTM MARCH 2026 driverless Uber
• A further 38% would be worried about the car malfunctioning or locking them in
• 32% said they wouldn’t use a driverless Uber because they don’t want human drivers to be replaced
Meanwhile, 12% of people said they’re excited to use a driverless taxi, and just 6% of people have no safety concerns at all.
The research also revealed that there’s a big gender difference when it comes to opinions on driverless taxis, with over half (54%) of women saying they wouldn’t feel safe using an autonomous Uber compared to 39% of men, and 43% of women saying they’re worried about the car malfunctioning or being locked in, compared to 32% of men. Tom Banks, a spokesperson for
Go.Compare, noted that while the move marks an “exciting step” for innovation, the results prove that many are “hesitant about embracing the technology.” He added that for the public to accept the change, “there needs to be more
education around
people’s safety concerns to help build confidence in autonomous vehicles.”
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