Self-driving bus and taxi trials are set to take place in England as soon as next year, following an announcement by the UK government last week.
In the statement, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that the government plans to fast-track the self-driving pilots, bringing them forward by a year to spring 2026. The government hopes the scheme will make the UK one of the world leaders in the industry.
The public will be able to book ‘taxi and bus-like’ services which, for the first time, will have no safety driver. This will be available via an app, as companies trial the technology on a small scale. The pilots are happening before any potential wider rollout, as the Automated Vehicles Act becomes law from the second half of 2027.
Bringing forward the self-driving vehicle trials aims to create 38,000 jobs and foster an industry that will be worth £42 billion by 2035. This comes as part of the government’s Plan for Change, which set out several milestones that it aims to achieve by the end of this Parliament.
According to the government statement, human error contributes to 88% of all road collisions. The pilots will be focused on road safety, with an aim of reducing these incidents.
Heidi Alexander said: “The future of transport is arriving. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world-leaders in new technology. With road safety at the heart of our pilots and legislation, we continue to take bold steps to create jobs, back British industry, and drive innovation to deliver our Plan for Change.”
Some self-driving trials have been ongoing in the UK for 10 years, being led by British companies Wayve and Oxa.
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