Self-driving cars could be on UK roads by 2025 thanks to new government plans, which have a £100 million backing. The new laws would aim to boost road safety and mobility while creating thousands of new jobs.
Some cars, coaches and lorries with self-driving features could be operating on motorways by 2023 with plans for new legislation that’ll allow for a wider rollout by 2025. The emerging market in self-drive technology is expected to create nearly 40,000 jobs and could inject £42 billion into the UK economy.
The government’s vision for self-driving cars has £100 million backing, with £34 million confirmed for research to support safety developments and to inform more detailed legislation. This will include things like researching the performance of self-drive cars in poor weather and how they interact with other road users.
Will Self-Driving Cars Become a Reality?
Another £20 million of that total £100 million figure is earmarked to kick-start commercial self-drive services and to help businesses grow and create new jobs in the industry, following an initial £40 million investment. These projects could include self-drive delivery services and autonomous shuttle pods between airport terminals. A further £6 million will be used for market research and to support commercialisation of the technology.
What is the Benefit of Self-Driving Cars?
According to the government, self-driving cars could reduce accidents, revolutionising public transport and passenger travel for people who don’t drive and better-connect rural communities. Self-drive cars could, for example, offer on-demand links from rural communities to existing public transport services that’ll be more direct and quicker, allowing people better access to services such as schools and hospitals.
Are Self-Driving Cars Available Today?
Under the government’s plans, self-drive cars could be on sale by next year – cars like the new Mercedes S-Class are already capable of autonomous driving, only the tech is turned off in line with UK law – although you’ll still need a driving licence to operate one.
Commercial and public transport vehicles could use self-drive technology by 2025 and legally wouldn’t need a driver onboard – they’d be able to drive from point A to point B, independently.
Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, said: “The benefits of self-driving vehicles have the potential to be huge. Not only can they improve people’s access to education and other vital services, but the industry itself can create tens of thousands of job opportunities throughout the country.
“Most importantly, they’re expected to make our roads safer by reducing the dangers of driver error in road collisions.
“We want the UK to be at the forefront of developing and using this fantastic technology, and 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.”
And what about safety? Well, the government’s ‘safety ambition’ is that self-driving cars will be as safe as a competent and careful human driver. This ambition would inform the safety standards self-drive cars have to meet to be allowed to self-drive, with sanctions imposed on manufacturers if the standards are not met.
The new laws are expected by 2025 and will build on existing legislation and state that manufacturers are responsible for the vehicle’s actions when self-driving, meaning you won’t be liable for any incident that occurs when the car is in self-drive mode.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Business Secretary, said: “Self-driving vehicles have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives, particularly by helping those who have mobility issues or rely on public transport to access the jobs, local shops and vital services we all depend on.
“This funding will help unlock the incredible potential of this industry, attracting investment, developing the UK’s growing self-driving vehicle supply chain, and supporting high-skill jobs as these new means of transport are rolled out.”
Edmund King, AA president, said: “The automotive world is changing rapidly and so the government is right to embrace the positive changes offered by this new technology and back it by funding research and putting forward legislation. Assisted driving systems, for example, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, are already helping millions of drivers stay safe on the roads.
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“It is still quite a big leap from assisted driving, where the driver is still in control, to self-driving, where the car takes control. It is important that the government does study how these vehicles would interact with other road users on different roads and changing weather conditions.”
Ultimately, self-driving technology could save lives, improve mobility and create jobs – in the government’s eyes, it’s well worth pursuing for these reasons.
What is Meant by a Self-Driving Car?
Self-driving cars might also be known as autonomous cars – they’re cars that are aware of their surroundings and can navigate through them with little or no human interaction. Levels of autonomy are graded from Level 0 through to Level 5. Level 0 cars have no automation, Level 1 cars (like many on sale now) are capable of hands-on automation and Level 5 cars are completely autonomous to the point that they don’t need a steering wheel.
Did You Know...
…while cars like the Mercedes EQS are already capable of driving themselves, UK law means the system can’t be fully activated – driver interaction is required, so you always need to keep your hands on the steering wheel.
When the new laws expected for 2025 come into force, your car’s interior will likely feel more like your living room at home with a steering wheel that folds away when the car’s driving itself, a TV and swivel seats that’ll allow you to turn around and face your passengers.