Much has been made of the government’s aim to rollout driverless vehicles on UK roads by 2027.
But there are still questions to be answered about how the big picture will look, how many ‘truly’ autonomous vehicles will be in operation and how the government will deal with the complex nature of handling road safety when human drivers aren’t the only ones driving vehicles on the road.
With a new consultation being launched ahead of advanced road trials of self-driving vehicles next year, it appears we’re getting closer to some of those answers…
However, there are still concerns around regulation, safety and accessibility that the government will need to resolve through new laws, schemes and education to ensure that strict safety standards are set and adhered to.
Self-Driving Vehicles – Are They Safe?
Autonomous vehicles have been discussed for years, with major companies such as Uber and Google insisting that the technology is ready for rollout in major countries already.
Naturally, though, governments are taking the cautious approach so as not to cause any potential road safety or legal issues by jumping the gun on the technology.
Semi-automated technology has been in operation for several years, as fleet owners know all too well, and the next step is for fully autonomous vehicles to be out on the road.
With pilot schemes underway and testing due to hit UK roads in 2026, there’s a real sense that the future is upon us – but what challenges will that bring?
Trial schemes are a crucial part of technological developments and the reality is that autonomous vehicles are the single biggest change to transport in decades, which necessitates a considered and careful approach to ensure that all road users and pedestrians are safe.
The trial schemes are bringing businesses on board to test small scale services without a safety driver for the first time ever, which will be for taxis and passenger services when the Automated Vehicles Act launches in late 2027.
One big issue is that research has shown that the public’s tolerance of incidents is likely to be lower with autonomous vehicles, so the safety standards need to be near perfect to get people onboard.
What Does Driverless Technology Mean For Fleets?
Driverless technology is set to be one of the biggest changes to driving, transport and the fleet sector in the last several decades.
It goes without saying that it brings opportunity and challenges in equal measure, which makes it even more important that assurances are sought out by fleet owners.
The monitoring of autonomous technology will become more important than ever and being able to recognise potential issues will be a non-negotiable.
Monitoring risk for your drivers and your fleet will be more important than ever, which is why our Risk Monitor module is geared up to help you stay on top of your drivers’ safety – find out more about Risk Monitor here.
What do you think about the introduction of self-driving vehicles? Would it be something you’d consider, or do you think the technology needs to be ‘proven’ before you invest? Let us know…
