It comes after a Waymo vehicle veered into a crime scene in Harlesden
09:19, 11 May 2026Updated 09:56, 11 May 2026
Cllr Muhammed Butt said it would be “irresponsible” for the local authority not to engage with a global business(Image: Brent Council)
Calls have been made to suspend the ongoing driverless taxi trial in London due to concerns about a “lack of stakeholder support and unresolved safety fears”.
Brent Green Party claims the autonomous vehicles “do not meet the minimum safety standards” after one car drove straight into a police cordon in Harlesden last month.
Last month, Waymo – an American autonomous driving technology company owned by Alphabet Inc, a subsidiary of Google – launched a pilot in London with the aim of operating a fully autonomous ‘robotaxi’ service later this year.
The vehicles are not currently taking passengers, they are mapping the streets whilst being operated by a safety driver. When the service launches to paying passengers, there will be no human at the wheel. However, concerns have been raised over the technology after a Waymo vehicle veered into an active crime scene in Harlesden, Brent, on April 22.
Waymo autonomous cars have been mapping the streets of London(Image: Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
Waymo’s depot – the company’s first facility of its kind in the UK – is also located in the borough, at a facility in Park Royal that serves as the operational hub for its driverless Jaguar I-Pace fleet. Brent Council described the company’s decision to choose Brent for part of its London operation as “a major vote of confidence” in the borough.
Earlier this year New York City paused its robotaxi trials due to a lack of stakeholder support, concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles, issues around liability, and the potential job losses for professional drivers. Following last month’s incident in Harlesden, there have been calls for a similar pause of the London pilot.
‘Beyond rational reasoning’
Brent Green Party has started a petition urging the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, to suspend the trial after a driver went through a live police cordon on Harlesden High Street while officers were investigating a double stabbing. Waymo said the car was in manual mode “with a validation driver in full control”, who has since been suspended pending an investigation.
The party has said that if a similar incident had been committed by a driver of a regular vehicle they “would likely be under investigation and could face criminal prosecution”. It has also raised concerns that the technology is being tested without adequate public consultation, that they will increase congestion – especially if the vehicles are continuously roaming, and take away driving jobs.
Green Party councillor in Harlesden and Kensal Green, Amandine Alexandre, who was elected on Thursday, said: “The viral footage of the vehicle crossing the police line in Harlesden is deeply concerning. It is clear that these vehicles do not meet the minimum safety standards. The fact that such vehicles can operate without impunity, putting police investigations at risk of compromise, is beyond rational reasoning.”
Kilburn’s new Green councillor for Kilburn, Suzanne Gallagher, added: “We see the Waymo rollout as a data collection exercise which will have foreseen and unforeseen consequences for our community. There needs to be, as a bare minimum, some consultation with us before these technologies are imposed on us.”
‘We limit empty miles’
Waymo told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that scepticism “is natural” but claims that this “quickly fades” once people get accustomed to them.
A spokesperson for the company added: “The UK’s Automated Vehicles Act 2024 establishes that when a vehicle is operating fully autonomously, liability rests with the manufacturer or software developer. We are engaging with community organisations, borough leaders, and city officials on an ongoing basis, to answer questions and address community concerns. We have also established an early dialogue with Labour representatives on specific policy areas.
“We want to avoid having vehicles roam empty, as this is highly cost-inefficient. We limit empty miles by rigorously matching supply and demand to ensure our fleet is highly utilised. When vehicles don’t have riders, we will bring them back to the depot or they will park in appropriate parking locations around the city to further limit empty miles.”
Cllr Muhammed Butt, who until Thursday was Leader of Brent Council, told the LDRS that it would be “irresponsible” for the local authority not to engage with a global business that “is putting significant investment into Park Royal”. But he added: “Engagement is not a blank cheque: it is how we raise residents’ concerns and ensure Brent’s voice is heard.
“Ultimately, the decision on autonomous vehicles sits with the national government and Transport for London, not Brent Council, but where new technology is operating in our borough, we will always press for safety, accountability, jobs and community benefit.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor said Sir Sadiq Khan is “determined to harness the opportunities” presented by new and emerging technologies, including automated vehicles (AV) but also recognises “the potential negative impact” on jobs and the economy and will make sure it is introduced “in a way that works for all Londoners”.
The spokesperson told the LDRS: “AV technologies must be tested and regulated appropriately to ensure their growth doesn’t come at the expense of congestion and safety on our roads, or our world-leading public transport and active travel networks.
“The Mayor will continue to engage with the growing AV industry, professional drivers and their representatives, and relevant policy stakeholders as we work to build a greener, safer, better London for everyone.”
The government believes self driving vehicles “could unlock billions” for the UK economy by 2035, as well as support growth sector jobs and expand travel options – particularly by giving disabled and older people greater independence.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has said that AV pilots will not be allowed on public roads unless they have met robust safety requirements and gained consent from the relevant local authority. It also claims to place significant emphasis on public engagement and that it regularly speaks with trade unions and representative groups around workforce impacts.
A DfT spokesperson told the LDRS: “Keeping people safe on our roads is always our priority. Self-driving vehicles could unlock billions for the UK economy, but they will not be allowed to operate unless they have met robust safety requirements and received the backing of the relevant local authority.
“The Waymo vehicles currently on London’s roads are in a testing phase only, are not carrying passengers, and have safety drivers on board at all times.”
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