As 'driverless' taxis take to the streets of London, the Mirror gets a glimpse of the future - in the Atlanta Uber with no driver

As 'driverless' taxis take to the streets of London, the Mirror gets a glimpse of the future - in the Atlanta Uber with no driver In the American city of Atlanta, a fleet of driverless Uber taxis has already taken to the streets. Is this is a vision for the future of taxi transport in the UK? The Atlanta driverless Uber experience may be the shape of things to come for Britain.Self-driving taxis took to the streets of London for the first time today after Transport for London (TfL) granted private hire licences to a fleet of autonomous vehicles - on the condition that a human driver is present in the early delivery of the service.In the American city of Atlanta, a fleet of driverless taxis has already taken to the streets., officially launched by Waymo last year. And they don't require anyone in the hot seat. Recent research in the US suggested that the driverless Waymo taxis, like the one used in Atlanta, were 68 percent less likely to be involved in accidents per mile travelled than their human powered counterparts.When the Mirror climbed aboard, and headed for downtown Atlanta, two robots tried to cross the road side by side at one junction, a bizarre sight for any UK passenger.But this may be a vision of the future here, as driverless cabs wait patiently at junctions for a mini-army of robots delivering goods to businesses, shops, and even takeaways.The two robots carefully moved around each other while delivering goods. An army of robots is already making deliveries in Sunderland, Cambridge and Leeds. In London, Uber said inspectors confirmed that vehicles using technology by the British firm Wayve met all of TfL's policy and safety standards. The first thing you notice when boarding the Atlanta service is the speed.This was my second ride in a driverless taxi. In LA, the Waymos moved much more slowly, carefully changing lanes at speeds which rarely exceeded 25 mph.The ride in Atlanta was much quicker, moving around streets with little or moderate traffic.You felt as if the 'driver' had more confidence somehow - even while watching the steering wheel turn with no one in the driving seat.Atlanta is a city full of hi-tech innovation. Once I got downtown, it was easy to spot other driverless cabs. And the robots making deliveries were seen on many street corners. I watched as one politely took a step back to let the other cross the road first. It was surreal to see them negotiate the delicate manoeuvre as commuters made their way around them.The people of Atlanta were clearly accustomed to vehicles going by with no drivers, and robots crossing busy roads. They walked around them while talking on their mobile phones, without a second glance.The advantage of both technologies is obvious and clearly cost-driven. The fare for my driverless ride was cheap even for an Uber, costing the princely sum of £9.87 for a short, 13-minute ride from Luckie Street to Peachtree Place, covering three blocks, and 2.1 miles.Robot deliveries also remove the need for a driver, saving labour costs. They add up to lower delivery costs that are already being applied here in the UK; but unions warn there are safety issues, and that the innovation will inevitably lead to job losses.In the US, the driverless cars have proven popular with female passengers. Opponents here include London cabbies. Under the terms of the PHV licence, a qualified driver must be present and remain responsible for the car in the early stages of the pilot. Steve McNamara of the Licensed Taxi Driver Association in London insists that they will not work if they drive around the streets aimlessly without a fare. He told the BBC when the scheme was launched that the driverless idea does not work in London because they will fill the roads when they are not being used. The London service - in conjunction with UK tech firm Wayve - is starting with a few dozen taxis in the capital, and a human will still be sat behind the wheel as a safeguard as the technology has yet to be given regulatory approval. But the modified Ford Mach-E vehicles will do the driving. Wendy Lee, Uber's head of autonomous mobility and delivery, told the Mirror this week's launch was about eventually reaching "driver out technology". The next stage, if allowed by Transport for London, will see the launch of Nissan Leaf taxis without a driver in place at all. In Atlanta, they wait in a street designated for rides next to an inner city area which has restricted access to traffic. Sarah Sharples, an expert from Manchester University, told R4's Today programme that evidence suggests driverless vehicles can improve safety.Others warn that using the technology will require data centres if, as predicted, their growth in the UK rises by 2023. Last month, the Mirror reported on a scheme in Thornley, Co Durham which could help solve our housebuilding crisis.It was the first in the UK to use a wall-laying terra-based robot - nicknamed WLTR or ‘Walter’ - to place bricks with speed and ultimate precision.Dr Jan Telensky, founder and CEO of JT Lifestyle Homes, says he hopes the technology will be able to help address the labour shortage in the construction industry.Dr Telensky said: “There is currently a severe shortage of bricklayers in the UK, along with a wider skills shortage across much of the construction industry.“With ambitious housing targets we need to get to grips with new technology to help us meet the demand for new homes - and fast." And a small army of robots is already working in communities around the UK, hailed as the future of British doorstep deliveries. There are now hundreds of Starship robots operating up and down the country, as far afield as Milton Keynes, Leeds and Manchester. The Starship Technologies’ robots are the brainchild of Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, who also co-founded Skype, before it was sold for 2.6 billion dollars in 2005. They have overcome many pitfalls during development, including theft, adverse weather, flooding, snow and vandalism to make millions of deliveries around the world.There are 2,500 worldwide; they are powered by electric batteries, and rely on Artificial Intelligence and onboard cameras to move around. But Ahti believes the UK will now be at the forefront of the new hi-tech AI drive, taking a role in everything from taxi rides to the weekly shop.