The UK government has announced plans to test driverless cars on public roads by the end of 2013. So far, UK trials of the autonomous vehicles have taken place only on private land. Driverless cars are guided by a system of sensors and cameras and are seen as potentially safer and more efficient than regular […]
The UK government has announced plans to test driverless cars on public roads by the end of 2013.
So far, UK trials of the autonomous vehicles have taken place only on private land.
Driverless cars are guided by a system of sensors and cameras and are seen as potentially safer and more efficient than regular vehicles.
The technology uses lasers and small cameras to memorise regular journeys like the commute or the school run.
They will be tested by the same team of Oxford University researchers who have been developing and testing autonomous car technology on an adapted Nissan Leaf around Oxford Science Park.
As a safety measure, a back-up driver will ride along during tests who can take over in case of emergency.
The plans have been unveiled in a blueprint by the Department for Transport, as part of a £28bn investment in British roads to reduce congestion.
The report says driverless vehicles are capable of driving on their own “using knowledge of the environment in which they are driving. They maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front at a set speed and without deviating from their lane – all without the driver’s input,” said the report.
For now, the cars will be driven on lightly-used rural and suburban roads in a “semi-autonomous” mode which gives human passengers the choice to intervene.
The UK announcement follows public trials in other parts of the world. The US is leading the way, with three states – Nevada, Florida and California – all passing legislation around autonomous cars.
Google has led efforts in the private sector, with its fleet of prototypes of a converted Toyota Prius covering more than 300,000 miles on public roads.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin said he believed the self-driving car would “dramatically improve the quality of life for everyone”, and that it would be commercially available within the decade.
Read the official UK government announcement here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/action-for-roads-a-network-for-the-21st-century
