The government is facing mounting calls to give Transport for London full regulatory control over driverless taxi trials, as robotaxis edge closer to London’s streets.
Under the current system, the Department for Transport authorises self-driving vehicles for use on public roads nationally, while TfL only holds licensing power over paid passenger services within the capital — meaning any commercial robotaxi operation would still need TfL’s sign-off before it could start charging fares. The DfT previously said it would fast-track small-scale testing of driverless “taxi and bus-like” services without a safety driver during 2026, ahead of a wider rollout planned for 2027, and in May this year it opened applications for operators to run self-driving taxis commercially across Britain.
Several firms are already moving on this. Uber and Wayve are seeking approval to carry passengers in automated vehicles in London, while Waymo is currently testing a 100-strong fleet on the capital’s roads. Caroline Russell, who chairs the London Assembly’s Transport Committee, has argued that the government has effectively stepped into London’s devolved powers by keeping regulation centralised in Whitehall rather than handing it to City Hall. TfL Commissioner Andy Lord has said the organisation isn’t currently involved in any robotaxi trials and wants clarity from the DfT on how oversight will work.
The Automated Vehicles Act, passed in 2024, already shifts legal responsibility for accidents involving autonomous vehicles onto the approved operator rather than any driver, and is due to be fully implemented in the second half of 2027. For London’s taxi and private hire trade, the debate isn’t just about who regulates the technology — it’s about what a fleet of driverless cabs competing for fares could mean for driver livelihoods once full commercial rollout begins.
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