Cabbies call for protection as Waymo prepares driverless taxi launch in the capital
Taxi and private hire drivers in London say they are facing a new existential threat as US tech giant Waymo prepares to launch a fleet of driverless taxis in the city.
According to a report by Hyphen, many London cabbies are warning that autonomous vehicles could “run us off the road” and destroy livelihoods built over decades.
But while government ministers hail the move as innovation, local drivers see it differently. Cabbies interviewed by Hyphen described the plan as a potential “disaster” for working-class communities, arguing that the tech threatens to “replace experience with algorithms.”
Waymo’s UK move raises alarm
Waymo — a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, Alphabet — has already been running autonomous taxi services in US cities including San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. The company recently confirmed plans to expand into London, marking what could become its first European launch.
As reported by The Guardian, the rollout is expected to begin in 2026, pending approval from UK regulators. The Department for Transport has already introduced legislation to support “level-4 automation” — vehicles capable of operating without a human driver under specific conditions.
Calls for fair rules and safety guarantees
Unions and trade bodies are urging the government to ensure driver protections and fair competition, warning that driverless fleets could sidestep traditional taxi licensing and safety checks.
Representatives also raised concerns about data collection, insurance liability, and safety accountability if something goes wrong. As one driver told Hyphen, “If there’s no one behind the wheel, who’s responsible when something happens?”
Waymo, however, insists its vehicles are safer than human drivers, claiming over 100 million miles of autonomous testing without a single fatal collision, according to company data shared on its official Waymo blog.
Broader industry concerns
Driverless taxi technology has been in limited testing in Milton Keynes, Oxford, and Cambridge, with small-scale pilots involving self-driving delivery vehicles and private hire concepts. But London’s density, narrow streets, and complex traffic systems make it one of the hardest cities in the world to automate safely.
Cabbies fear the trial could open the floodgates to AI-controlled fleets, potentially reducing driver demand by tens of thousands of jobs. If that happens, the UK’s largest urban transport trade could face its most significant restructuring since Uber’s arrival in 2012.
DM News Commentary
The arrival of driverless cars in London may signal innovation for Silicon Valley — but for thousands of taxi and private hire drivers, it’s a warning light. While technology promises safer and more efficient journeys, automation must not come at the expense of human livelihoods. The government now faces a crucial test: can it embrace future mobility while still protecting one of Britain’s most historic trades?
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