GMB Union has called on Transport for London and the Government to urgently develop a plan to protect professional drivers as autonomous taxis begin carrying paying passengers in London.
The warning follows the launch of the capital’s first self-driving ride-hailing service by Uber and British technology company Wayve. Fifteen electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles are initially operating in London, although each currently has a TfL-licensed safety driver behind the wheel.
Reacting to the launch, GMB said:
“Today’s launch of driverless taxis in London is concerning.”
The union warned that the longer-term move towards fully driverless services could have major consequences for people who make their living behind the wheel.
GMB added:
“There is no plan to deal with the fallout of potentially thousands of people losing their jobs.”
David McMullen, GMB Senior Organiser, said London and the wider UK needed a managed transition rather than allowing autonomous technology to develop without protections for workers.
He said:
“With hundreds of thousands of people who work as drivers every day, we need to be really careful with the roll out of driverless cars unless we are prepared to see unprecedented levels of social and economic disruption.”
GMB is calling on TfL and ministers to develop a framework that protects drivers and ensures companies introducing autonomous services are held accountable for the impact on employment.
The union stressed that it is not opposing technological innovation outright, but argues that the consequences for workers must be considered before fully driverless vehicles are introduced at scale.
McMullen said:
“Until a plan is put in place to manage this transition and support drivers, it is premature to move to ‘driverless’ services.”
Uber and Wayve’s new service remains supervised for now. Passengers booking UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort can be matched with one of the autonomous vehicles at no additional cost and can choose to switch to a conventional vehicle.
The launch nevertheless represents a significant step towards wider commercial use of autonomous vehicles in Britain. Other companies, including Waymo and Baidu, are also preparing to enter London’s emerging robotaxi market.
For GMB, the central issue is ensuring that innovation does not come at the expense of workers who depend on driving for their livelihoods.
The union said:
“TfL and the Government urgently need to consider the consequences.”
The intervention sets up a wider debate over how Labour should balance support for British technology and innovation with its commitment to secure employment, workers’ rights and a fair transition as automation reshapes parts of the economy.
