The offices of Wayve in York Way, where the protest was set to be staged

A PROTEST against self-driving cars will take place in Islington this weekend.

Trade unions, public transport campaigners and councillors are staging the protest outside the offices of Wayve in York Way tomorrow (Saturday).

Earlier this summer, the rollout of driverless taxis was delayed until next year.

Cristina-Georgiana Ioanitescu, the general secretary of the App Drivers’ & Couriers’ Union, said: “Wayve and Uber are asking the so-called ‘human safety drivers’ working in robotaxis during this pilot to carry the legal responsibility for technology they do not control and whose safety performance is not being transparently reported to the public, placing both the drivers, and the public, at huge risk. These trials represent a direct threat to the livelihoods of London’s 106,000 licensed private hire drivers.

“For years, drivers have been told that automation is the future, but we have seen no credible or legally enforceable Just Transition Plan for the workers whose jobs are being put at risk.”

Early estimates suggest that roughly 1.8million driving jobs, from HGV drivers to bus drivers, may lose their jobs as a result of the vehicles.

“Every day, we see autonomous vehicles being tested on the roads and we are reminded of the looming destruction of our livelihoods, our lives and our communi­ties,” added Uber driver Gholomreza “Rez” Kamyabi.

“Every car currently feeds a family, and the prospect of not being able to earn money on the road leaves us all with a deep uncertainty of how we will provide for them. We already struggle to get by as it is.”

Londoners are invited to join the protest outside Wayve’s offices (230-238 York Way, N7 9AG) on October 17 between 9am and 1pm.