Wednesday 11 February 2015

Driverless car review launched by UK government



Richard Westcott has a closer look at new driverless technology

Changes to road regulations and car maintenance checks will be necessary to accommodate driverless cars on the roads of the UK, a Department of Transport report has confirmed.
The government wants the UK to become a world leader in driverless technology.
It will publish a code of practice in the spring which will allow the testing of autonomous cars to go ahead.
Self-drive pods that will be tested in Milton Keynes and Coventry have been unveiled for the first time.
The government promised a full review of current legislation by the summer of 2017.
That review will involve a rewrite of the Highway Code and adjustments to MOT test guidelines, potentially taking into account whether a higher standard of driving should be demanded of automated vehicles.
Aautomated passenger shuttle vehicle
Gateway will test self-drive passenger shuttle vehicles in Greenwich
It will also look at who would be responsible in the event of a collision and how to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians.
The Department of Transport report acknowledged that true driverless cars may be some way off and that current tests of the technology will need to include a qualified test driver to supervise the vehicle.
"Driverless vehicle technology has the potential to be a real game-change on the UK's roads, altering the face of motoring in the most fundamental of ways and delivering major benefits for road safety, social inclusion, emissions and congestion," said transport minister Claire Perry.
The government is providing £19m to launch four driverless car schemes in four UK locations.