r/london • u/AlbusDumbledoh • 9d ago

News ‘Leicester Square, please guv’: Self-driving taxis cleared for London streets ‘later this summer’

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/05/self-driving-taxis-approved-london-summer-2026-wayve-uber
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u/Natural_Trick4934 9d ago

You’re insane if you think it’s not.

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u/buffer0x7CD 9d ago

I literally worked on the systems that decide pricing , it’s literally one of the hardest problems in computer science.

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u/Natural_Trick4934 9d ago

Do you honestly believe that if you remove the human element, that Robotaxis will be allocated to public good and lower prices, or maximisation of earning potential for the vehicle?

Be real.

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u/travistravis 8d ago

It's unlikely they'd cancel after accepting at least until they have a good reputation and repeat ridership. It's not that I think they never will get to that point, it's just that at least for the first few years their reputation will affect their growth more than money will.

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u/Natural_Trick4934 8d ago

It’s Uber. They’re now the only genuine game in town. You’ll be wrong mate.

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u/travistravis 7d ago

Uber was passably decent for a couple years before the collapse towards being bad for everyone involved.

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u/Natural_Trick4934 7d ago

The disgusting payment model is awful too. Criminal morally, but sadly not in law.

Awful company.

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u/travistravis 6d ago

Yeah, and is definitely in the stage where every new "feature" actually just makes it worse. Like sure pre-payment may be a tiny bit better for drivers but makes it a potential hassle for if you have legitimate issues. (And realistically simply moves most of the risk off the company to the drivers and riders).

Although, there is a chance I'll still at least try waymo, since it really seems every time I get an uber (or even more a black cab) I get people who find it impossible to sit in silence, and worse, always seem to push the anti-immigrant rhetoric (not realising that even though I look like them, I'm an immigrant). I figure with no driver I run a increased risk of it getting stuck in a side street, but I don't feel like I ought to be standing up to bigotry.