Robotaxis on the way – but many questions remain

Self-driving taxis, known as robotaxis, are already operating in several cities in the US and China. A new study by VTI highlights the lessons Europe and Sweden can learn ahead of a potential large-scale rollout – and the challenges that must be addressed first.

Robotaxis are vehicles that operate entirely without a driver and are ordered via an app. The technology has progressed from pilot projects to commercial operations in cities such as San Francisco and Phoenix in the US, and Shenzhen in China. In Europe, no comparable large-scale services currently exist.

A new study from the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), funded by the Future Mobility programme at Vinnova, has analysed experiences from the US and China to provide guidance if such initiatives might be launched in Sweden or Europe. The project is based on activities in in the US and China including interviews with stakeholders, workshops, and the authors’ own experiences using robotaxi services. Additionally Swedish cities, and public transport providers and operators have been interviewed concerning how they view self driving vehicles and what role they could play.

“Overall we see great interest in the technology and the service, but also many unanswered questions. Robotaxis must contribute to societal goals such as climate benefits and improved accessibility – not just be a technological novelty,” says Ingrid Skogsmo, research leader at VTI and project leader for the study.

Safety and interaction with other road users are two key issues. Currently, there are no common standards for proving that a robotaxi and its actions are safe. Experiences from California show that it is important to involve emergency services early on, so that autonomous vehicles can properly handle emergency vehicles and critical situations.

Another challenge is how robotaxis should be integrated into the transport system. In theory, the services can offer round-the-clock transport and fill gaps in public transport, but so far the impact on travel habits has been limited. There is also a risk that robotaxis could increase traffic if they replace walking, cycling or bus journeys.

Despite very large investments in the technology, there are still no fully functioning business models. With the current level of technology, cities with at least half a million inhabitants and large vehicle fleets are likely needed to achieve economic viability. Collaboration with existing actors, such as public transport companies or taxi services, may be crucial.

“It’s clear that small pilot projects are not enough to understand the real effects. To evaluate how robotaxis work in society, what contributions they can make to societal goals, and how the business model looks, we need to think bigger – and perhaps in new ways,” says Ingrid Skogsmo.

The study emphasises that municipalities considering the introduction of autonomous taxis must be proactive and define what they want to achieve – such as reduced congestion or improved accessibility – before the services become a reality. Practical issues such as where vehicles can stop, rules for boarding and alighting, and charging infrastructure also need to be resolved in advance.

The report concludes with recommendations for municipalities, authorities and industry. These include clear safety requirements, common standards, and research into how robotaxis can be integrated with public transport and various business models.

Read the report: Learning for deployment of robotaxis at scale (Diva)