CIVIC LANE
London has begun allowing a small fleet of self-driving taxis to take passengers through the Uber platform. Human safety operators remain inside the vehicles and can intervene if necessary. The experiment could eventually reshape commuting costs, road safety and thousands of driving jobs. Supporters see autonomous vehicles as a technological upgrade, while critics believe machines are not yet ready for unpredictable urban streets. The launch therefore turns an abstract AI debate into a decision passengers may soon face themselves.