Connected and autonomous vehicles to deliver £51bn to UK economy

Commissioned by SMMT, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: The UK Economic Opportunityfrom KPMG is said to represent the first comprehensive analysis of the UK opportunities provided by this new technology.

KPMG has found that these new vehicles will reduce serious road traffic accidents by more than 25,000 a year by 2030 and predicts that the UK will be a global leader in the production of this next generation of vehicles.

The figures were announced on March 26, 2015 at SMMTConnected, the first ever industry-wide event in Britain to explore the opportunities and challenges ahead and demonstrate how the UK automotive sector is already developing the cars of the future.

In a statement, transport minister Robert Goodwillsaid, “New technology is fundamental to government’s ambitious vision for our roads.  That is why we are making huge investments to support innovation, including £19m for real-world trials of driverless cars and £100m to research autonomous vehicles, as recently announced in the Budget. Connected and autonomous cars will help us move towards a smart, safe, efficient and low-carbon future.”