According to the Secretary of State for Transport, this technology, which has the potential to improve road safety, will be gradually deployed.
After flying taxis, the United Kingdom could soon deploy another mode of transportation. According to statements made by the British Minister of Transport, Mark Harper, on BBC radio autonomous cars could join traditional vehicles on British roads as early as 2026. While a bill regarding these robot-taxis is currently being examined by Parliament, he hopes it will be adopted by the end of next year.
Mark Harper specified that this technology will be deployed gradually. “It is likely that from 2026, people will begin to see certain elements of these fully autonomous cars being deployed” the minister said. According to him, the British will be able to let go of the wheel and check their emails in these vehicles. “This technology exists, it works, and what we are doing is putting in place the appropriate legislation so that people can have full confidence in the safety of this technology” he assured.
A mode of transportation with many advantages
For Mark Harper, robot-taxis have several advantages, starting with the reduction of road accidents. “I think this will really improve road safety. We already have a very good record in road safety in Great Britain, but several thousand people are still killed each year on our roads. This could be improved” explained the minister.
These claims come at a time when several incidents with autonomous cars have occurred in recent months. In the United States, a series of incidents led Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, to temporarily suspend its driverless operations.
In addition to road safety, autonomous vehicles would also be advantageous for people with disabilities, “people with learning disabilities, who do not have the same freedom that driving brings to the rest of us” Mark Harper pointed out. They would allow them to not depend on others. Finally, robot-taxis represent a great economic opportunity for the country, which hopes to become a leader in this field.
#Des #voitures #autonomes #pourraient #circuler #GrandeBretagne
publish_date]
