Uber has begun operating self-driving robotaxis on Manchester streets, marking the company's first autonomous vehicle trial in the UK. The vehicles use technology from Uber's partners Pony and Verne, the same firms behind Europe's first autonomous taxi service, which launched in Zagreb, Croatia.
The trial represents Uber's stated strategy to expand robotaxi operations across UK cities. The company framed the Manchester deployment as a first step in this rollout, though the source material does not specify the trial's duration, geographic scope within Manchester, pricing, passenger capacity limits, regulatory approvals required or performance targets.
Uber did not provide detail on fleet size, operational hours, which neighbourhoods will be served, or how the trial will be evaluated. The source material also does not confirm whether existing Uber driver services will operate in parallel or whether the autonomous vehicles will coexist with human-driven rides in the same app.
The partnership with Pony and Verne mirrors the Zagreb launch, suggesting Uber intends to replicate this model across European cities. The source does not state what prompted Uber to select Manchester as its UK entry point, or what role UK regulators played in approving the trial.
No details emerged about safety protocols, insurance arrangements, or how the vehicles handle edge cases such as severe weather or complex traffic scenarios. Uber made no statement about job impacts on its existing driver network in Manchester or elsewhere in the UK.
The timing and scope of further UK city rollouts remain unspecified.