Robot taxis in Europe: from science fiction to the street, what awaits us?

Self-driving taxis are no longer science fiction. In cities from San Francisco to Shanghai, robotaxis already cut through traffic every day. And Europe? That catches up. What awaits us, and what does this mean for the taxi industry in the Netherlands?

What is a robotaxi?

A robotaxi is a fully autonomous vehicle that transports passengers without a human driver. The car navigates independently using a combination of cameras, lidar (laser distance measurement), radar and artificial intelligence. Customers order a ride via an app, get in, and are delivered to their destination, without a driver.

State of affairs worldwide

In the United States, Waymo (owned by Google's parent company Alphabet) is the furthest advanced. In San Francisco and Phoenix, Waymo robotaxis already operate commercially, without a safety driver. The company has now traveled millions of kilometers autonomously and is expanding to new cities.

China is not far behind. Baidu's Apollo Go offers robotaxi services in multiple Chinese cities, including Beijing and Chengdu. The Chinese government actively encourages autonomous mobility as part of the national technology strategy.

Europe: testing on public roads

In Europe, robotaxi developments are slightly slower, partly due to stricter regulations. But the tests are in full swing:

• Germany: Waymo and the startup Mobileye are testing autonomous driving in Hamburg and Munich. The new German legislation (AFGBV) is one of the first in the world to make fully autonomous driving on public roads legally possible.
• Sweden: Einride is testing autonomous electric trucks and has plans for passenger transport.
• France: In Paris, autonomous shuttles were deployed on demarcated areas during the 2024 Olympic Games. routes.
• Netherlands: Autonomous driving vehicles are tested at the Automotive Campus in Helmond and through the WEpod project. Amsterdam is working with several parties on smart mobility solutions.

When will robot taxis come to the Netherlands?

Fully commercial robot taxi services in Dutch city centers are still expected to be five to ten years away. The technical challenges are considerable: busy bicycle traffic, narrow canal streets, complex intersections and changing weather place higher demands on autonomous systems than wide American roads.

In addition, legislation and regulations still need to be adjusted further. The EU is working on a harmonized framework for autonomous vehicles, but full harmonization will take years.

What does this mean for professional drivers?

The arrival of robotaxis understandably raises concerns in the taxi industry. Yet there are good reasons not to panic: