Warm-up
- Have you ever used a ride-hailing app? Which one and where?
- Would you trust a car that drives itself? Why or why not?
- What new technology has changed transport in your city?
Vocabulary
- autonomous
- Able to operate by itself without direct human control.
- trial
- A test period to see if something works well in the real world.
- robotaxi
- A self-driving taxi that carries passengers without a human driver.
- mapping
- Collecting detailed data about streets and road conditions.
- safety driver
- A trained person in the car who can take control if needed.
- passenger
- A person who rides in a vehicle but does not drive it.
- union
- An organisation that represents workers and their interests.
- congestion
- Too much traffic on the roads, causing slow movement.
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishUber has begun a trial of autonomous vehicles on the streets of Manchester, a step towards wider robotaxi services in the UK. The first cars use technology from partners Pony and Verne. Uber recently launched Europe’s first autonomous taxi service with them in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.
In Manchester, the tests focus on mapping the city. Each car has a safety driver behind the wheel and no passenger. London began limited passenger rides last month, using Wayve cars with a safety driver under Transport for London’s private-hire rules. The next steps remain unclear, and there has been no official application to launch passenger services in Manchester so far.
Uber drivers, unions and some politicians warn of job losses and want support for affected workers. A London Assembly transport committee report urged the government to devolve control over autonomous taxi services. It also questioned the claimed benefits and raised fears about public transport, congestion, safeguarding and disabled access.
Uber says it expects to offer robotaxi trips in up to 15 cities worldwide by the end of 2026, mainly in the US and the Middle East.
Comprehension
- Where is Uber running its new autonomous vehicle trial?
- Which partner companies supply the technology for the first cars?
- What safety setup is used during the Manchester tests?
- What did the London Assembly transport committee urge the government to do?
- By when and in how many cities does Uber expect to offer robotaxi trips?
Grammar focus
Used to / would
Use used to/would + base verb for past habits or repeated actions that are not true now. With state verbs (be, know, believe), use only used to; with dynamic actions, both forms are fine. (Examples constructed.)
- Before apps, people would phone a taxi firm to book a ride.
- Most people used to think cars could never drive themselves.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with used to or would, as the meaning requires.
- Before satnav, drivers (carry) ___ paper road maps.
- Self-driving cars (be) ___ only science fiction.
- Before card readers, passengers (pay) ___ in cash.
- Early cars (have) ___ no seat belts.
- In the 1990s, taxi firms (use) ___ radios to send drivers out.
Discussion
- Should cities allow robotaxis while tests still need a safety driver?
- How can authorities balance innovation and taxi drivers’ jobs?
- What risks worry you most: safety, congestion, or accessibility? Why?
- Would you try a robotaxi in your city? Under what conditions?
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