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Original poster

AIBU to think we don’t want driverless taxis?

242 replies

Burnedbyquestions · 03/09/2026 07:41

Driverless Ubers now bookable in London - as a pedestrian I would not feel safer knowing cars are driverless and as a taxi passenger I want to support humans to have a livelihood, not increase numbers on benefits and give Uber more profits. Surely most people agree? Appreciate taxi drivers need tighter controls after all the sex attack and intimidation problems but I don’t think driverless anything is the solution.
If taxis were that cheap what would happen to buses/trains? The roads would be clogged up with individual passengers in cars instead - I can’t see the point of them.

OP posts:
Kajjsa · 04/09/2026 17:32

I am not keen walking around town with driverless vehicles around either.

DrNeededInInflatorRoom · 04/09/2026 17:29

I have a recurring dream/nightmare every now and then where I’m sat in a moving car and suddenly realise there’s no driver and it’s one of those frustrating dreams where I’m trying to get into the drivers seat but various obstacles keep stopping me. The idea of driverless cars has always freaked me out so no thanks.

If others want to use them fair enough but I’m sure there will always be at least some demand for taxis with a driver.

Kajjsa · 04/09/2026 17:29

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 17:24

I imagine scribes were saying the same as the printing press rolled in.

Or sailmakers as ships turned to steam.

Or blacksmiths as cars drove by not needing shoeing. (Although a few cannier ones decided to become motor car repairers ....)

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I don’t buy that argument. It’s getting a bit old.

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 17:24

Kajjsa · 04/09/2026 17:21

I am just waiting for this tech bro bubble to burst.

I imagine scribes were saying the same as the printing press rolled in.

Or sailmakers as ships turned to steam.

Or blacksmiths as cars drove by not needing shoeing. (Although a few cannier ones decided to become motor car repairers ....)

Kajjsa · 04/09/2026 17:21

I am just waiting for this tech bro bubble to burst.

grumpygrape · 04/09/2026 17:16

Flamingojune · 04/09/2026 14:13

Im sure there will always be choice

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I wish I had your faith. Only a choice of two taxi options now here and at what cost in the future ?

Gdff · 04/09/2026 16:49

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 16:44

People get killed on the roads every day in the UK. Yet still we allow people to drive.

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Exactly

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 04/09/2026 16:37

Burnedbyquestions · 04/09/2026 13:26

So we have lots of preferences here for robot drivers vs dodgy men drivers - with dodgy men as dangerous drivers or sex attackers putting people off getting taxis.
What if there were female only taxis, driven by females and with female/children only passengers? Safer calmer better experience and saving jobs for humans?
Comments like it’s “adapt to technology or die” are exactly what I mean - we shouldn’t be putting masses of people in that position where they cannot adapt to technology so what they’re just expected to die? How exactly does a taxi driver adapt to a world of driverless taxis? They won’t die, they’ll become unemployed, drain the state of benefits and our taxi fares will line Uber pockets with insufficient tax reducing the public purse to pay for those benefits. It’s lose lose.
if the issue is bad men driving then we need an alternative of highly secure driving - black cabs need to promote their safety measures, combat false assumptions about price etc.
Driverless cars are not widely tested in real life busy narrow streets with people popping out all over the place - good human drivers can anticipate what’s going to happen and slow down in advance - we need to promote good drivers not eliminate them altogether.
And other than safety what’s the point if they’re no cheaper?
if they are cheaper then what will happen to the roads if they get clogged up with taxis? If they limit the number of cars on the roads in city centres like London then the cost will go up again rendering them pointless again.
The main benefits are for Uber, whose own shoddy driver management practices have created the perfect market conditions for their replacement - I have no confidence that they will prioritise passenger safety over profits.
Bill Gates has recently written about AI limits re human jobs, interaction etc - this seems to cover exactly those issues.
I vote for better human drivers with better safety measures. Why isn’t there a single national app for local cab drivers that offers the ease of payment and tracking that Uber has? that plus stronger safety measures and the option to request a female driver would be my preference.

The black cab drivers I’ve known hardly declare any earnings either, except when they’ve wanted a mortgage etc. Regardless, progress shouldn’t stop for a few cab drivers. It didn’t stop for the miners, it’s not stopping for anyone employed in North Sea oil. Anyone young training to be a black cab driver in the last 10 years has known exactly what they were up against. The oldest ones will be able to work out their days - it’s not going to be an overnight thing. And there will probably always been some appetite for them as PP says.

FourSevenFive · 04/09/2026 16:32

Burnedbyquestions · 04/09/2026 13:26

So we have lots of preferences here for robot drivers vs dodgy men drivers - with dodgy men as dangerous drivers or sex attackers putting people off getting taxis.
What if there were female only taxis, driven by females and with female/children only passengers? Safer calmer better experience and saving jobs for humans?
Comments like it’s “adapt to technology or die” are exactly what I mean - we shouldn’t be putting masses of people in that position where they cannot adapt to technology so what they’re just expected to die? How exactly does a taxi driver adapt to a world of driverless taxis? They won’t die, they’ll become unemployed, drain the state of benefits and our taxi fares will line Uber pockets with insufficient tax reducing the public purse to pay for those benefits. It’s lose lose.
if the issue is bad men driving then we need an alternative of highly secure driving - black cabs need to promote their safety measures, combat false assumptions about price etc.
Driverless cars are not widely tested in real life busy narrow streets with people popping out all over the place - good human drivers can anticipate what’s going to happen and slow down in advance - we need to promote good drivers not eliminate them altogether.
And other than safety what’s the point if they’re no cheaper?
if they are cheaper then what will happen to the roads if they get clogged up with taxis? If they limit the number of cars on the roads in city centres like London then the cost will go up again rendering them pointless again.
The main benefits are for Uber, whose own shoddy driver management practices have created the perfect market conditions for their replacement - I have no confidence that they will prioritise passenger safety over profits.
Bill Gates has recently written about AI limits re human jobs, interaction etc - this seems to cover exactly those issues.
I vote for better human drivers with better safety measures. Why isn’t there a single national app for local cab drivers that offers the ease of payment and tracking that Uber has? that plus stronger safety measures and the option to request a female driver would be my preference.

The dodgy men drivers are the reason human-driven taxi is relativelly affordable. If you replace then with a better cohort (currently holding other jobs), price will have to get up. And those men will lose their jobs anyway.

Driver-less taxis are being tested in bussy streets now - and the technology is improving, if it isn't safer than average human driver today , it will be in months/year time.

I like the idea the cars which spend the most time on the streets would actually follow the rules, let pedestrians on zebra crossing cross and so on. And, I love the idea that this can reduce the individual car ownership, at least in the cities.

I understand the loss of jobs is worrying. It is therefore a bit funny that you suggest current drivers losing their jobs and being replaced with other, supposedly currently employed, humans.

DoubleShotEspresso · 04/09/2026 16:07

Netcurtainnelly · 04/09/2026 13:40

Could happen with a driver. Taxis can crash. It won't be allowed in the road until it's safe anyway

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There have already been pilot drive schemes where these vehicles have been proven to be anything but safe.

Kajjsa · 04/09/2026 15:59

I would not put my foot in one. There are lots of examples of some electric cars (look up Volvo) having a life of their own. I also resent how these things take people’s livelihoods. Who is going to need to get into an uber or be able to afford it if none of us have jobs?!

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 15:53

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 04/09/2026 15:48

I can’t wait until my own car has a driverless option! I could drive to the pub and get driven home.

Why does it have to be "your" car ?

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 04/09/2026 15:48

I can’t wait until my own car has a driverless option! I could drive to the pub and get driven home.

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 15:47

Netcurtainnelly · 04/09/2026 15:37

I'm the future there will be air taxis I'm sure.
Cars won't just drive on the road . Maybe a long time off. I can see it coming though using air space .

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You can already buy a human carrying drone from TEMU

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/bUkvDe0x47A

user1492538376 · 04/09/2026 15:45

Netcurtainnelly · 04/09/2026 15:36

Our recent taxi conversation was interesting and pleasant and the car clean and comfortable.
I'm sure if you didn't want to talk though and just sit back and relax and listen to music that would be fine though. Just tell them.

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Good for you! No I dont think I will just tell them they and the car stinks. That wouldnt go down well and would be rude.

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 15:38

seahorsessky · 04/09/2026 15:31

You're asking specifically about taxis, but this could be the first step to getting rid of normal car ownership, so that's why I'd say it's good. No more kids crashing with their mates, drunk. No more drink driving, or people who are not longer safe to dive, but doing so because they're scared to go on a bus. A better world for those with certain disabilities. If organised well, there would be less congestion as AIs could plan and organise appropriate ridesharing.
Sure, terrorists could hack into it, and technology might fail, as could be the case for existing public transport. But the risks wouldn't be greater than they are now.

All true. However I feel we have settled into an acceptable level of deaths, injuries and environmental distress in order to allow people to own and use cars. That's unlikely to disappear overnight. As this thread (or any where people try to condemn speeding) shows.

Netcurtainnelly · 04/09/2026 15:37

seahorsessky · 04/09/2026 15:31

You're asking specifically about taxis, but this could be the first step to getting rid of normal car ownership, so that's why I'd say it's good. No more kids crashing with their mates, drunk. No more drink driving, or people who are not longer safe to dive, but doing so because they're scared to go on a bus. A better world for those with certain disabilities. If organised well, there would be less congestion as AIs could plan and organise appropriate ridesharing.
Sure, terrorists could hack into it, and technology might fail, as could be the case for existing public transport. But the risks wouldn't be greater than they are now.

I'm the future there will be air taxis I'm sure.
Cars won't just drive on the road . Maybe a long time off. I can see it coming though using air space .

Netcurtainnelly · 04/09/2026 15:36

user1492538376 · 04/09/2026 14:18

I would love driverless taxis. No dealing with small talk/weird car smells/other peoples body odours/crap music and much safer!

Our recent taxi conversation was interesting and pleasant and the car clean and comfortable.
I'm sure if you didn't want to talk though and just sit back and relax and listen to music that would be fine though. Just tell them.

seahorsessky · 04/09/2026 15:31

You're asking specifically about taxis, but this could be the first step to getting rid of normal car ownership, so that's why I'd say it's good. No more kids crashing with their mates, drunk. No more drink driving, or people who are not longer safe to dive, but doing so because they're scared to go on a bus. A better world for those with certain disabilities. If organised well, there would be less congestion as AIs could plan and organise appropriate ridesharing.
Sure, terrorists could hack into it, and technology might fail, as could be the case for existing public transport. But the risks wouldn't be greater than they are now.

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 15:30

Netcurtainnelly · 04/09/2026 13:17

I want my own driverless car. I can't wait. As long as it's safe

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Owning an autonomous car makes no sense in a resource scarce world. It would be sitting around doing fuck all for well over 12 hours a day on average when it could be out there moving people and goods around.

When you can call a rise in less time than it takes to put your coat on and lock the door, having to have a dedicated car for personal use will (once again) become the preserve of the wealthy.

(Some) folk scoffed that the automobile could ever replace the horse. As a lot of unemployed saddlers, farriers and stablehands found out within a generation.

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2026 15:12

Gdff · 04/09/2026 13:14

Uber prices are cheaper. There's something called competition..never felt unsafe in an Uber.

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Not that anyone cares, but Uber Access fares are the same as a regular Uber, when available, About 1/3rd that of a black cab. (And in Brum black cabs don't run Friday afternoons).

KnickerlessParsons · 04/09/2026 14:51

My biggest concern would be whether the driverless taxi knows someone has thrown up in it, and then can it clean itself, or does it know it needs to take itself off to the nearest cleaning station? I imaging they must all belong to someone (Uber?), and that there is a garage or somewhere where they all go to refil/recharge/get cleaned/get serviced at least once a day.

FalseSpring · 04/09/2026 14:49

Do they cope with pot holes or passing places? I do wonder how a driverless car would negotiate our country lanes! Assuming they overcome these practicalities, I would choose one in preference to a driven taxi.