Jon Excell

Auto industry calls on government to accelerate self-driving revolution by backing Automated Vehicles bill

News

UK automotive sector leaders have called on MPs to urgently back legislation that they claim could unlock the economic and societal benefits of driverless vehicles.

The UK's first driverless bus, parked outside the QEII conference centre during SMMT Connected
The UK's first driverless bus, parked outside the QEII conference centre during SMMT Connected - The Engineer

Announced by the government in November 2023, the Automated Vehicles bill aims to provide a clear legal framework for the safe operation of automated vehicles on roads and other public places in the UK. The bill has already cleared a number of obstacles and is thought to be close to being enacted. However, there are growing fears that its passage could be derailed by a general election.

Talking at SMMT Connected 2024, a major event exploring the future of personal mobility and mass transport organised by automotive trade association the SMMT, the body’s CEO Mike Hawes said that widespread deployment of self-driving vehicles could save 3,200 lives, prevent 53,000 serious accidents and deliver an economic boost of £38bn by 2040.  

With much of the technology now mature, and many UK companies already heavily involved in a number of more advanced export markets, Hawes argued that legislation is vital to accelerate the UK market and warned that a failure to rubber-stamp the bill could set the UK back by years.

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driverless cars
autonomous vehicles