LONDON: Robot taxis that take to the road without drivers are set to appear on the streets of two major British cities.

The trial schemes will see robot taxis without drivers on the streets of London and also a driverless bus service between Edinburgh and across the Forth Bridge to Fife on a 22.5-kilometer route.

Business Secretary Greg Clark announced the schemes as part of the British government's industrial strategy, saying that self-driving cars will revolutionise the way goods and people move.

"Autonomous vehicles and their technology will not only revolutionise how we travel, it will open up and improve transport services for those who struggle to access both private and public transport," Clark said.

Clark promised funding of 25 million pounds (about 32 million U.S. dollars) through the Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Intelligent Mobility Fund.

The driverless schemes are set to start in 2021. Xinhua