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Government plans to roll out self-driving vehicles by 2025
The government has revealed plans to kickstart a transport revolution by introducing self-driving vehicles on UK roads, which would improve road safety and better connect communities.
Backed by £100 million to support industry investment and fund research on safety developments, the plan could create up to 38,000 new jobs in an industry worth an estimated £42 million.
The government believes that some vehicles, including HGVs with self-driving features, could be operating on UK motorways in the next year, and new legislation has been introduced to allow for the safe, wider rollout of self-driving vehicles by 2025.
RESEARCH TO HELP INFORM MORE DETAILED LEGISLATION
Government support for the new proposals include £34 million for research to support safety developments and inform more detailed legislation, as well as £20 million to help kickstart commercial self-driving services and enable businesses to grow and create jobs in the UK. It is also providing £6 million to be used for further market research and to support commercialisation of the technology.
It is hoped that vehicles which can drive themselves on motorways could be available for purchase within the next 12 months, for which users would need a valid driving licence to enable access to drive on other roads. Other self-driving vehicles, for example those used for delivery, which are expected on the road by 2025, would not require anyone on board with a driving licence because the vehicles would be fully autonomous.
UK TO BE AT FOREFRONT OF SELF-DRIVING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps 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.”
Michelle Gardner, Head of Public Policy, Logistics UK, said: “While the potential benefits of self-driving technology have long been understood by the logistics sector, at times it has seemed to belong in the far future. Now we have a definite timeline from the government that will see the introduction of these vehicles on our roads in the coming years, not decades.
“As the promise of enhanced road safety is a key potential benefit promised by self-driving vehicles, we will work with our members to respond to the consultation with a safety ambition for self-driving vehicles to be as safe as a careful human driver."
The new laws for the safe rollout of self-driving vehicles by 2025 will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows. For more information about the plans, please visit the link below.
*https://www.gov.uk/government/news/self-driving-revolution-to-boost-economy-and-improve-road-safety
Published On: 08/09/2022 16:00:14
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