Less than a week after Uber started offering riders self-driving cars in California the company has been slammed by authorities and road users for safety concerns, prompting doubts about whether the service can continue.

Uber has admitted there is a problem with the way its autonomous cars approach bike lanes, which threatens the safety of cyclists near the cars. The vehicles have been found to cut across bike lanes when turning rather than merging into them, as is legally required.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition issued a warning that "those vehicles are not yet ready for our streets".