Autonomous vehicles will not hit the road for more than a decade, say experts
Research suggests regulation and legislation are standing in the way of self-driving vehicles
It could be more than a decade before fully autonomous vehicles are a common sight on UK roads.
The PA Consulting Group interviewed more than 100 experts in the field of driverless vehicles, and found that while the technology itself is advancing quickly, the “ecosystem” surrounding it is holding things up.
One of the key road blocks is legislation, which is described as needing a complete overhaul. For example, requirements surrounding the government’s right to access data could affect the technology, while a standard needs to be defined to determine a vehicle’s road-worthiness.
The group points to the insurance industry as likely to be the quickest to adapt its policies, though notes its hands are tied by insufficient regulation as the question of liability in an accident needs clearing up.
Charlie Henderson, roads expert at the PA Consulting Group, said what was needed was “a clear national strategy for the UK to know how it can make the most of autonomous vehicles, or we face being left far behind our European neighbours”.
He added: “While manufacturers and the media talk enthusiastically about mass uptake of autonomous vehicles, the reality is that there are a number of significant technological, legislative and public confidence barriers.”
This month, the government launched Meridian, a “co-ordination hub” designed to accelerate the progress of connected autonomous vehicles.
Investment from the government has been matched by the automotive and technology industries, with the target of creating world-class testing facilities and infrastructure for self-driving vehicles in the UK.
