Sadiq Khan calls for cap on numbers of robotaxis on London streets
Summary
London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged the UK government to give the city powers to cap robotaxi numbers before fully driverless vehicles operate there. He raised concerns about congestion, air quality, regulation and the effect on taxi drivers as companies test and prepare robotaxi services in London.Key Facts
- Khan said London needs regulation suited to autonomous vehicles before a large-scale rollout.
- Under current rules, Transport for London can approve or reject fully autonomous vehicles in London but cannot manage or license robotaxi services.
- Freenow by Lyft hopes to launch driverless Baidu robotaxis in the UK as early as next year under a national licensing scheme.
- About 24 Baidu Apollo Go vehicles are being tested in the London borough of Brent.
- Uber began limited passenger trips in Wayve self-driving cars in September, with a safety driver on board.
- Khan said London is lobbying the government for more authority over automated vehicles and caps on taxis and private-hire vehicles.
- Freenow by Lyft said it plans a UK depot and that some taxi drivers could work in remote operations and vehicle servicing.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
