Drivers keeping an eye on the future of autonomous vehicles in the capital will want to take note of a story that’s been developing over the past week or so. According to reporting by the Financial Times, advisers to Andy Burnham — who looks set to take over as Labour leader, and potentially prime minister — are working on a new AI and technology strategy that would take a notably more cautious approach to driverless cars in London than the current government.
The thinking behind the shift is said to centre on protecting British workers from disruption caused by rapid AI and automation rollout, with a particular focus on the impact self-driving vehicles could have on black cab and Uber drivers. One source close to the plans reportedly questioned the pace of the current rollout, asking what the actual point of it was and who it was really meant to benefit.
It’s worth being clear about what this isn’t. Industry analysis suggests a Burnham-led government wouldn’t seek to reverse the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 or halt existing trials — including the ongoing Wayve trials already running in London. Instead, the expected approach would see any expansion of autonomous vehicle services subject to broader economic and social impact tests, alongside the existing safety and innovation requirements, with local authorities potentially given a stronger say over where such services can operate.
The proposals have already drawn criticism from parts of the UK tech sector, with some founders arguing that the current system is already difficult enough to navigate without additional hurdles, and that framing the UK’s current progress as a “headlong pursuit” misrepresents what has, in reality, been a slow and carefully regulated process.
For taxi and private hire drivers who’ve long worried about what autonomous vehicles could mean for their livelihoods, this is likely to be a story worth following closely as Burnham’s leadership bid progresses.
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