The Government has unveiled plans for new legislation to roll out self-driving vehicles on UK roads by 2025.

£100 million is being allocated  to deliver its autonomous ambitions. Of this, £34m was released immediately for research to support safety developments and inform more detailed legislation.

Taking advantage

Ministers say that the move will enable the UK take full advantage of the emerging market of self-driving vehicles, which could create up to 38,000 jobs and could be worth an estimated £42 billion.

 That could include researching the performance of self-driving cars in poor weather conditions and how they interact with pedestrians, other vehicles, and cyclists.

Some vehicles, including cars, coaches and lorries, with self-driving features could be operating on motorways in the next year.

Responsible motoring

The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) is setting out its own proposals for the correct approach to self-driving vehicles.  Its Responsible Innovation in Self-Driving Vehicles report, aims to set the ethical framework for safe responsible autonomous vehicle regulation.

This report warns that improved safety achieved by autonomous vehicles may not be enough for the public. Personal ownership, privacy the flexibility  of having your own car has essentially become a right in modern life.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps believes the benefits “to be huge”. He believes this will improve peoples freedom to access services, increase road safety and has the potential for important national economic opportunities. All this makes the move an essential government policy for the future of the country.

“We want the UK to be at the forefront of developing and using this fantastic technology,” he says.  “That is why we are investing millions in vital research into safety and setting the legislation to ensure we gain the full benefits that this technology promises.”

What do you think?

An official   consultation on a ‘safety ambition’ for self-driving vehicles has been launched to help inform policy.  It will hopefully assess attitudes and responsibilities placed upon organisations and manufacturers.

New laws will be brought in when parliamentary time allows, building on existing laws.  For example, manufacturers will become responsible for the vehicle’s actions when self-driving.

Jonathan Hewett, chief executive of Thatcham Research, welcomed the “breadth of the Government’s ambition”. Positioning the UK as a centre for self-driving innovation, along with the safety-first approach, puts Britain in the fast lane.

“Ensuring that safe adoption is at the centre of its plans will play a pivotal role in realising the societal benefits of self-driving technology,” he said.

Car are developing at “an unprecedented rate” he says, adding that this is a “steep learning curve”.

“It’s vital that we balance the risk with the opportunity, gathering intelligence on the different use cases for the technology and in turn understanding what it means for all road users.”

“All the ingredients are present for the UK to become a global leader in this space. ”

Driver trainer remain in demand

Greg Ford, general manager of RED Driver Risk Management, says the announcement is about  “setting up a framework”. Any practical change is going to be years away.

“Training drivers remains critical” says Ford.

Programme of research

A £20m fund aims to kick-start commercial self-driving services.

Successful projects could see the technology used to deliver groceries or passenger transport.

AA president, Edmund King says that degrees of ‘assisted driving’ are already widely available in new cars. This, he says, helps “millions of drivers stay safe on the roads”. However, going from assisted driving to fully autonomous is a “big leap”.

“It is important that the Government does study how these vehicles would interact with other road users on different roads and changing weather conditions.

“However, the ultimate prize, in terms of saving thousands of lives and improving the mobility of the elderly and the less mobile, is well worth pursuing.”