techUK calls for autonomous passenger vehicles to be approved in London
techUK has responded to the London Assembly Transport Committee's call for evidence on autonomous passenger vehicles in London, drawing directly on the operational experience of members of our Self-Driving Vehicles Working Group.
We said that self-driving passenger services will be a reality in London this year, pending Transport for London's (TfL) approval of the pilot applications now under consideration. With the automated passenger services permitting scheme open to applicants, several techUK members are actively preparing to deploy in the capital, and the UK framework, once complete, is set to be the most comprehensive and secure in the world.
Our response also sets out why London can trust and benefit from this technology.
Safety
It has been found that 88% of collisions in Great Britain involve human error, but international deployment data shows 82% fewer injury-causing crashes than the average human driver. In our response, we highlighted that operators have been safety testing in London under the Department for Transport's Code of Practice since 2017 without serious incident, and vehicles must satisfy rigorous driving standards before any driverless passenger service begins.
Mobility
Autonomous vehicles can expand access to mobility for those currently underserved by the transport system, including older and disabled Londoners who cannot drive. AV deployment can offer them greater independence, reliable door-to-door travel, and wider access to jobs, healthcare and education across the city.
The economy
The phased introduction of self-driving vehicles which can operate as part of a hybrid network alongside human drivers will also create many new roles - in manufacturing, fleet maintenance, AI development - alongside broader economic and social benefits.
Local engagement with the sector
Once vehicle safety is assessed and approved nationally, it falls to local authorities to consent to deployment and shape the service-level questions that matter most locally. We have called for TfL and the Mayor to set clear expectations and guidance for operators as early as possible, build internal capability to engage constructively with the technology, and deliver consistency with national guidelines and other authorities to avoid fragmented local variation.
Next steps
We are looking forward to the Committee's report and to TfL's decisions on the pilot applications before it. Nationally, further government consultations on AVs are underway and our Self-Driving Vehicles Working Group is shaping techUK's responses.
Please contact Robert, below, to join the Group or for any more information.
Robert Price
Programme Manager, Transport and Mobility, techUK
Robert Price
Programme Manager, Transport and Mobility, techUK
Robert joined techUK in January 2025 as our Programme Manager for Transport and Mobility.
He works on a wide range of areas across road, rail, aviation, and maritime, with an overarching focus on enabling, advocating, and championing the technological innovations that will build the transport systems of the future.
Prior to this role, Robert worked in the House of Commons for a Member of Parliament and in public affairs roles in both agency and trade association settings. He holds a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree from the University of Oxford as well as a Graduate Diploma in Law.
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Robert joined techUK in January 2025 as our Programme Manager for Transport and Mobility.
He works on a wide range of areas across road, rail, aviation, and maritime, with an overarching focus on enabling, advocating, and championing the technological innovations that will build the transport systems of the future.
Prior to this role, Robert worked in the House of Commons for a Member of Parliament and in public affairs roles in both agency and trade association settings. He holds a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree from the University of Oxford as well as a Graduate Diploma in Law.
Junior Programme Manager - Energy and Utilities, techUK
Jade van Zuydam
Junior Programme Manager - Energy and Utilities, techUK
Jade joined techUK in September 2025, leading our data centres work on energy and water. As Junior Programme Manager, she works with industry and government to shape policy and advance sustainability, resilience and the UK’s net zero goals.
She brings a background in research, journalism and advocacy. Prior to joining techUK, Jade worked at The Economist developing international conferences to debate the most important ideas of our time, before moving into freelance journalism for their daily newsletter, The World in Brief. Her writing explores the intersection of environmental and social justice issues, from climate litigation and energy grids to sustainable agriculture. As programme manager at Digital Leaders, she engaged a network of over 100,000 members on digital transformation and its implications for policy, public services and decarbonisation.
Jade holds an MSc in Environment, Politics and Development from SOAS University of London, and a BA (Hons) in History and International Relations from the University of Exeter.
Programme Assistant, Data Centres, Climate, Environment and Sustainability, Market Access, techUK
Lucas Banach
Programme Assistant, Data Centres, Climate, Environment and Sustainability, Market Access, techUK
Lucas Banach is Programme Assistant at techUK, he works on a range of programmes including Data Centres; Climate, Environment & Sustainability; Market Access and Smart Infrastructure and Systems.
Before that Lucas who joined in 2008, held various roles in our organisation, which included his role as Office Executive, Groups and Concept Viability Administrator, and most recently he worked as Programme Executive for Public Sector. He has a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the Andrzej Frycz-Modrzewski Cracow University.
