The UK government has opened applications for a new pilot scheme for passengers to ride in autonomous taxis. 

Ministers reckon the tech will create “thousands of jobs” and “billions for the economy” by 2035, and also say that human error causes 88% of collisions on the nation’s roads. 

Applications are open for operators to run a variety of schemes, including taxi, bus and private hire vehicles, and the Department for Transport says that any pilot schemes will also need the additional approval of relevant local authorities, like Transport for London in the capital. 

It’s a significant move in the direction of self-driving cars though – it means that members of the public will be able to book and pay for rides in self-driving taxis and buses in the UK for the first time.

Roads minister Simon Lightwood said: “Self-driving vehicles represent a transformative opportunity for Britain, opening up independent travel for disabled people and older adults, while driving growth and creating high-skilled jobs across the UK.

“This pilot scheme brings that future closer, giving passengers the opportunity to experience self-driving travel first-hand while ensuring safety always comes first.”

A consultation on future regulations for autonomous vehicles closed in March, and the DfT is currently assessing the responses. The department says that the results of the pilot schemes will also feed into the development of the new rules for self-driving vehicles on UK roads. 

It means that the full rollout of fully autonomous vehicles is still some way off, despite the passing in 2024 of the Autonomous Vehicles Act that lay out the framework for allowing the cars on public roads. 

Waymo’s head of government affairs in the UK said that the firm hoped to become part of London’s transport network soon – it’s already testing its Jaguar I-Pace-based robotaxis in the city – and rival autonomous taxi firms Uber and Wayve also welcomed the new pilot.