Uber tests in London in 2026: Autonomous cars should reduce accidents!

Uber tests in London in 2026: Autonomous cars should reduce accidents!

London, Großbritannien - Uber has big plans for the future of autonomous driving in London. In 2024, the company wants to start testing self -driving cars in order to develop this technology into a "safe and reliable option". The first step in this pilot project is to take place in spring 2026, whereby the possibilities are directly associated with the British strategy for traffic safety. The British government has emphasized that human errors are responsible for 88 % of all traffic accidents, which underlines the need for autonomous vehicles that are able to minimize such errors.

The test project is not the first initiative of this kind in Great Britain. Various pilot projects have been carried out for autonomous driving for over ten years, with British companies such as Wayve and Oxa leading in this technology. First, Uber will start in cooperation with Wayve, although a person in the vehicle will still be present to intervene in an emergency. However, this regulation will be lifted next year, which could pave the way for completely automated trips.

technological progress and security aspects

The vision of fully autonomous vehicles has existed for many years. Technology is on the rise worldwide, especially in the USA and China. There are currently 44 active autonomous vehicles in the USA, and forecasts show that by 2035, mainly not autonomous cars will be sold. Autonomous driving takes place in various levels, which have been defined by the five Sae levels since 2014. Higher levels such as SAE level 4 enable vehicles to operate in regular operation without drivers.

various manufacturers are already testing vehicles on a high level of autonomy, many of them in commercial use, such as the Waymo taxis in the USA. These vehicles have a significantly lower accident rate than human drivers. Studies have shown that autonomous vehicles can reduce the risk of accidents, which could lead to a significant improvement in traffic safety. Technologies such as Lidar to create 3D environmental models, radar for object recognition and artificial intelligence for data processing and pattern recognition are crucial for the success of these systems.

public perception and challenges

Despite the many advantages that offer autonomous vehicles, they are often skeptical about the public. In Germany, where acceptance is a bit larger, security and regulation play a crucial role. The developers are concerned about the security and compliance with regulations during software development. The integration of autonomous vehicles into existing transport systems will be a challenge, as well as acceptance in society.

Over 90 % of traffic accidents are still due to human failure, which is why autonomous vehicles could be a promising solution. You have the potential to react faster to dangerous situations and optimize decision making. Many cities are already experimenting with self-driving buses and shuttle services to increase efficiency in public transport.

Future mobility could therefore be revolutionized by self -driving cars that not only increase the safety in road traffic, but also optimize traffic. Uber’s projects in London are only the beginning of a comprehensive change that is still ahead of us.