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Autonomous vehicle legislation proposed in Queen’s Speech

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Author: | Updated: 18 May 2016 13:14

Britain has moved a step closer to a driverless road network after the Queen announced the government’s intention to implement new legislation.

In her 65th Queen’s Speech since coming to the throne in 1952, the monarch told assembled MPs and peers that the government would promote the development of driverless cars and ensure that “appropriate insurance” becomes available for them.

The announcement comes less than a month after Volvo announced that it would conduct an autonomous vehicle trial on the streets of London.

Self driving autonomous cars (2)

In light of the news, an insurer-funded automotive research firm called Thatcham Research has laid out its vision of how the autonomous future may play out.

In 2018, Thatcham expects ‘hands-off’ driving to be permitted on motorways. This would allow the driver to leave the car to its own devices for up to three minutes at a time, before returning to the wheel. In this instance, the driver remains ‘in control’ of the vehicle for legal purposes, and will be held responsible for any accidents that occur.

By 2021, it is expected that the industry will be “moving towards full autonomy”, with cars taking complete control on designated stretches of motorway, allowing the driver to engage in other activities, such as reading a book.

It’s not until 2025 that Thatcham is predicting fully autonomous vehicles capable of taking us from door to door without making control inputs. The cars will be able to cope with urban environments, as well as motorways, and the internet of things will allow data to be transferred between cars, alerting them of traffic jams or accidents.

Nissan Europe chairman Paul Wilcox has spoken of his delight at the news, saying: “Any new legislation, such as we’ve seen announced, that supports the adoption and integration of autonomous vehicle technologies, is a positive for the UK.”

“Autonomously-equipped vehicles will improve the safety and well-being of drivers, with fewer collisions and reduced traffic congestion. The UK economy can also benefit, by playing a pivotal role in a global industry estimated to be worth £900billion by 2025.”

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