Self-driving cars can “revolutionise Scotland” and fundamentally
change the economy, jobs and public policy, SNP MSP will say as he opens a Holyrood
debate today [Thursday].
Prototypes for driverless cars have already been tested, with
tech giants Google, Apple and Tesla competing with traditional
car manufacturers to develop the technology.
Driverless cars are expected to be on UK roads by 2021.
The Scottish Government has already committed to phasing out new
petrol and diesel cars by 2032, eight years ahead of the UK
Government target – and will argue that the development
of electric cars and driverless cars will go hand in hand.
said:
“In 1894 the London Times predicted that within fifty years the
city streets would be nine feet deep in horse manure.
“At the time they couldn’t predict the enormous impact the
development of the internal combustion engine – with cars
fundamentally transforming the world as they knew it.
“Within our lifetimes manually-driven, petrol-burning cars will
be replaced by driverless, electric vehicles. That might sound
like science-fiction today, but they’ll be on our roads in a few
years and will likely be commonplace within a decade.
“This development will be utterly transformative, with
significant and fundamental implications for society, jobs, the
economy – even down to how we use our streets and design our
public spaces.
“With any disruptive technology, there are risks as well as
opportunities. It’s vital that we’re preparing now – and that we
ensure that Scotland can benefit from being at the forefront of
the coming transformative change.”
