The government's latest measures to ensure Britain remains a
world leader in the development and introduction of self-driving
vehicles have been welcomed by the two trade associations that
represent companies developing the technology, road safety groups
and organisations supporting people with disabilities. SMMT and
techUK, along with RoSPA, RoadSafe, RNIB and Motability
Operations, believe today's announcement brings the country a
step closer to realising the road safety and socio-economic
benefits promised by self-driving technology.
Self-driving vehicles have the potential to deliver significant
benefits to British society and the economy, delivering economic
benefits as high as £66 billion and an estimated additional
342,000 jobs by 2040. The technology could also potentially save
3,900 lives and avert 60,000 serious collisions over the next 15
years, while offering a wider array of accessible mobility
solutions to disabled and older people.1
The government's plans to implement a regulatory framework that
will enable organisations to pilot commercial self-driving
services from next year will encourage technology developers and
their partners to begin designing and implementing services that
meet the needs of the British public, providing competitive
advantages for British businesses. These transformational
services, which are already available in some other countries,
will widen public access to mobility solutions. This positive
move positions the UK as a hotbed for cutting-edge mobility
technology, elevating its position on the world stage as a
destination of choice for automotive and AI investment.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said,
“Britain's self-driving vehicle revolution moves one
step closer, with today's announcement putting the country on
track to reap the road safety and socio-economic benefits this
technology can deliver. Pilot rollout of commercial self-driving
services from next year will widen public access to mobility,
while the consultation will ensure the technology is deployed in
a safe and responsible way. These latest measures will help
Britain remain a leader in the development and introduction of
self-driving vehicles.”
David, techUK Chief Executive,
said, "Today's announcement is great news for the UK's
AV and tech sectors. The UK must make sure it doesn't fall behind
other countries despite the promising progress made in recent
years to create new, bespoke legislation for AVs. The ability to
deploy truly driverless passenger services from 2026 is a major
milestone towards bringing the benefits of autonomy to
communities across the country. techUK's Self-Driving Vehicle
Working Group looks forward to working closely with the
government to make new passenger services a reality in the UK."
Following the passing of the landmark Automated Vehicles Act last
year, the consultation and call for evidence launched today will
ensure the technology is deployed in a safe and responsible way,
taking into account the safety, accessibility needs and welfare
of all road users.
Steve Cole, RoSPA Policy and Impact Director,
said, “RoSPA welcomes the government's announcement
as an important step towards ensuring that people will be able to
benefit from self-driving technology as safely as possible. RoSPA
was formed over 100 years ago to inform the public about the
dangers of motor vehicles, then a new and unfamiliar sight on our
streets. While vehicle technology has made huge advances since,
the core principle of robust regulation designed with public
safety in mind remains essential to preventing road traffic
collisions and fatalities.”
Arun Srinivasan, Chair of RoadSafe, said,
“Collision avoidance and advanced driver assistance systems have
already proved to be vital in reducing casualties and technology
has further potential to prevent crashes. Developing and
demonstrating the next generation of connected safety
technologies is an essential step in achieving a shared vision of
roads without fatalities or serious injuries. This initiative
forms an important step in accelerating the development,
deployment and adoption of self-driving vehicles as part of a
strategic approach to enabling safe, accessible mobility on our
roads.”
Matt Stringer, RNIB Chief Executive,
said, "RNIB welcomes the pilot scheme of autonomous
vehicles. Blind and partially sighted people are already
navigating increasingly automated streetscapes, not just as
future passengers, but as pedestrians today. The true potential
of autonomous vehicles will only be realised when they're safe,
accessible and intuitive for everyone, from the pavement to the
passenger seat. RNIB urges industry and government to design
inclusively from the outset, engage meaningfully with blind and
partially sighted people, and build transport systems that work
for all.”
, Chief Executive of
Motability Operations, said, "Automated vehicles
have the potential to be transformative. Implementing this
technology on the UK's roads could help our disabled customers be
better connected to work, education, healthcare and wider
society. We welcome this announcement, which is an important step
in bringing automated vehicles a step closer, and we will work
with the sector to ensure that when the time comes the transition
to automated vehicles is smooth for our customers."
Notes to Editors
1 Connected and Automated
Mobility: The UK Economic and Market Opportunities
