Autonomous mobility could be worth £66bn by 2040, and the Government wants the UK to become Europe’s leading market for self-driving vehicles.
The Automated Vehicles Act is intended to provide the certainty developers and investors need.
Full implementation is planned for next year, with permits for automated passenger services due in the coming months, enabling safe commercial trials for paying passengers.
The Government also wants to help the sector grow through stronger research, development and regulatory support. It is backing research to remove barriers and give developers clarity, while expanding autonomous technology into more settings.
The biggest challenges are likely to be public acceptance and financing rather than the technology itself, which is considered solvable.
If adopted, autonomous vehicles could be transformational, boosting productivity across the country.
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