Technology

London robotaxi rollout faces delays amid pending regulatory guidance

Transport for London has yet to release approval guidelines, pushing back commercial launch schedules for driverless taxi services.

Updated Aug 26, 2026 · 09:23 UTC1 reports

The short version

The rollout of fully autonomous robotaxis in London is unlikely to proceed this year due to regulatory delays.
Transport for London has not published the official guidance required for companies to submit applications for self-driving services.
Vehicles must also receive automated passenger services permits from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, which has yet to approve any models.

Transport for London has not yet published the necessary guidance for companies seeking approval to run self-driving taxi services.[The Guardian]
Uber and Wayve received London minicab licenses allowing self-driving trips with human safety drivers present in the vehicles.[The Guardian]
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has not yet granted any automated passenger services permits required to operate vehicles without a human driver.[The Guardian]
Uber and Wayve report over 100,000 London residents signed up on their waiting lists for autonomous taxi rides.[The Guardian]

It remains unknown when Transport for London will finalize its regulatory framework and begin accepting applications for robotaxi operations.[The Guardian]
Waymo aims to achieve full operational capability by the end of the year, but it has not clarified whether paid public rides will be permitted within that timeframe.[The Guardian]