The Financial Times editorial board argues self-driving taxis could transform city travel if they earn public trust — as London’s first commercial robotaxi service begins.
Coverage of the FT View notes Uber and UK AI firm Wayve have put about 15 electric Ford Mustangs into self-driving taxi service in the capital, adding to fleets already running in more than 20 cities across the US, China and the Middle East. The board says best autonomous systems already look safer than typical human drivers despite high-profile crashes, while “vision-language-action” models such as Wayve’s aim to handle unfamiliar edge cases. Costs remain high for now; Goldman Sachs has projected a large global robotaxi market by 2035 as operations scale. Success in London’s dense streets would be a significant test.