The battle for driverless taxis heats up

Google and Uber could be about to go head-to-head in the race to develop driverless taxis after it was confirmed that both companies are to invest heavily in the technology.

Although the two firms are usually close collaborators – with Google investing hundreds of millions in Uber and the taxi booking app utilising Google Maps technology – they are set to become fierce rivals in a battle to develop reliable autonomous vehicles.

Google has made considerable steps forward in the development of driverless vehicles in the last few years, and although Uber is still a relatively young company, they are equally determined to ensure their long-term future by investing in the technology that many believe will eventually change the face of transport around the world.

This week has seen driverless cars trialled on UK roads for the first time, with demonstrations of the new technology taking place in London, Milton Keynes and Coventry. The Government are currently considering the regulation changes which will need to be made to the Highway Code to allow the vehicles to be used on the road by the public, and by 2030 the technology is expected to advance considerably, allowing cars to effectively ‘take over’ the roads.

With rumours circulating that Apple may have also began to look into the driverless car industry, the presence of driverless taxi cabs on our streets is beginning to look more like an inevitably rather than a possibility.