The phenomenon of consensual sexual activity occurring inside driverless taxis, often referred to as the “robotaxi-route club,” has drawn increasing attention from researchers, transport operators, and technology experts. This trend mirrors the longstanding cultural reference of the “mile-high club” in aviation, but now involves enclosed autonomous vehicles rather than aircraft.
Academic experts from institutions including the University of Warwick and Loughborough University convened at a recent workshop hosted by Gothenburg University to address the issue. Their discussions were prompted by data indicating a rise in intimate encounters inside autonomous taxis across at least 15 major cities in the United States, where companies such as Waymo, Zoox, and Tesla offer driverless ride-hailing services. The academics noted that the absence of a human driver or authority figure inside these vehicles might influence passengers’ perceptions of accountability and their likelihood of intervening in inappropriate behaviour.
The researchers raised concerns about the implications for passenger comfort, perceived safety, and broader public acceptance of autonomous transport technologies. The phenomenon, they said, reflects a recurring pattern of people appropriating enclosed, mobile spaces for private acts, a trend seen previously with air travel.
The issue first came to wider public attention through a 2023 report by a San Francisco-based news outlet, which highlighted instances of romantic liaisons occurring inside driverless cars. Waymo, one of the leading robotaxi providers and a company planning to extend its service to London, has stated that it enforces strict policies to discourage such behaviour. A Waymo spokesperson explained that although in-vehicle cameras are not continuously monitored, footage can be reviewed by remote support personnel who ensure compliance with terms of service and passenger expectations. The company commits to immediately removing and banning individuals caught engaging in sexual activity inside their vehicles.
Public reactions vary, with some viewing the behaviour as a sign of the technological shifts changing social norms around privacy and intimacy in public spaces. George Osborne, former UK chancellor and current OpenAI employee, commented on the matter during a recent podcast. He noted that whenever he uses a driverless taxi in San Francisco, he chooses to sit in the front seat, partly to avoid getting involved or being near such activities, which he described as the “tech equivalent of the mile-high club.”
As autonomous vehicles become more widespread globally, including potential launches in London and other cities, transport providers and policymakers face the challenge of balancing passenger privacy with safety and appropriate conduct standards inside these new modes of public transport.