AIBU to think we don’t want driverless taxis?

[Burnedbyquestions]

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.

Maybe trunking up and down the motorway, but a truck isn't going to do stuff like empty bins or open gates and assess whether the ground is safe etc.

The people coding Waymos have jobs. There's always been skilled jobs

I'm surprised stuff like accountancy isn't entirely automated nowadays tbf.

I can’t wait to use one!

I used a Waymo this summer on holiday in LA and it was brilliant.

Saying that I have only used an uber once in my life and that wasn’t a great experience. I prefer black taxis when I am in London.

I was in a horrible car crash in a taxi as the taxi driver fell asleep at the wheel. Middle of the day, on the way to the airport. He missed going under a huge lorry by a few inches.

I could be dead right now because of an error of an overworked human. So I don't have much sympathy for your arguments.

Well, I was initially against it but I have to agree that it’s probably safer for women to be in a driverless taxi than be in one driven by a man.

The accident rates for driverless cars are considerably lower. Unfortunately, it only takes one accident and people refuse to use them.

I would be curious as to how many more times driverless cars have to be than human cars before they are accepted ?

100 times ?

1000 times ?

Considering I work in publishing, arguably my industry is already being swamped by AI. Just like everyone else I’ll have to adapt or die! You’re not going to stop progress in technology by pointing out the unfairness of it.

They will be safer than cars driven by people. I have an electric car with incredible safety features. You can’t crash it. I trust these cars more than people.

@fruitbrewhaha I was involved in a crash in one of these recently. The car thought the boot was open and stopped dead in the road. Then another vehicle smashed into the back of us. There was absolutely nothing I as the driver could do to move the car once the computer overrode me. It was terrifying.

Obviously, I think there are issues with safety features that can go wrong and have no way of fully assessing the situation they are in. It's important to recognise they are not infallible machines.

And how do you hold machine mistakes leading to injury or death accountable? There's no individual responsibility, just corporations that absorb legal costs alongside generating immense profits.

Are you talking about taxi drivers or driverless cabs?

Given the choice I’d rather get in a driverless taxi. I’d just feel safer, from both it can’t be creepy to me perspective but also I worked at a taxi company years ago and issues with tired drivers etc, mistakes, I’d just rather go with the driverless ones

One freak accident from a diverless doesn't negate all the studies and data that show it's safer. Once freak accidents occur, the company will adapt and learn so they don't happen again.

Almost had to put my 16 year old dd into an uber this morning after she missed her bus. I would feel much safer putting her into a driverless car tbh.

Yanbu at all, i completely agree!

Uber taking the piss really

stopped dead in the road. Then another vehicle smashed into the back of us.

That's their fault.

And how do you hold machine mistakes leading to injury or death accountable?

Civil law ?

I would be curious as to how many more times driverless cars have to be than human cars before they are accepted ?

100 times ?

1000 times ?

😀

https://www.theregister.com/ai-and-ml/2026/09/04/wayve-and-uber-steal-a-march-on-waymo-with-paid-self-driving-london-rides/5294451

99% of my local taxi companies are staffed by Pakistani immigrants. I assume working mostly illegally or on the gray side of things. So they can go home, and we can pay a company to dodge its taxes and provide driverless cars.

Try reporting them

It would be fascinating to know what else you assume.

Don't worry, you don't need to respond. I've just assumed.

I can’t wait to try one! Hate how uber drivers drive and how dodgy some of them are