When might we see driverless cars in the UK?
In the 2017 Budget, Chancellor Phillip Hammond promised driverless cars would be on UK roads by 2021. The government threw its weight behind the idea, announcing £22m for research and development of driverless vehicle technology. It’s part of a strategy to keep the UK at the forefront of technology post-Brexit. Some of the groups receiving government grants to help develop the technology are already promising a fleet on the road by 2019.
A lot needs to happen before the dream becomes a reality. Driving laws are undergoing a review – current laws will need to change to cope with the new technology. Car companies are vying to have the technology ready first, and various government-backed trials are going ahead, including on the busy streets of London
Plus, it might take some work to get the general public comfortable with the idea – in a survey in 2017, only 10% of people said they would definitely use a driverless car, whereas 15% said they definitely wouldn’t.