Self-Driving Vehicle To Be Put To The Test In UK Streets

As part of tests aimed at laying the groundwork for self-driving vehicles to hit the roads by the end of the decade, a driverless car carrying passengers will take to Britain’s public roads for the first time on Tuesday.

Setting sights on building an industry to provide the worldwide market, projected to be worth up to 900 billion pounds ($1.1 trillion) by 2025, the government is urging technology companies, start-ups and carmakers to develop and test their autonomous driving technologies in Britain.

The country began a discussion on amendments to insurance rules and motoring regulations to permit the use of driverless cars by 2020. The government also said it would allow the testing of such vehicles on thoroughfares from next year.

On Tuesday, a pod, or small two-seater car, will be tested in the southern English town of Milton Keynes. The organizers hope to derive crucial information on how the vehicle interacts with pedestrians and other road-users from the trial.

Oxbotica, a spin-off company from Oxford University, developed the pod and its software was created the university’s Oxford Robotics Institute. The pod will use data from radars and cameras to move around pedestrian areas.

Carmakers Ford and Jaguar Land Rover are trying to forestall the challenge from technology companies such as Google. They are now taking part in the driverless car projects in Britain. Google is also developing their own driverless vehicle.

Still unsafe

However, recent accidents involving autonomous driving systems have provoked safety concerns. As a result, all parties still need to surmount legal and technological obstacles.
This includes resolving who would be accountable in the event of an accident.

Organizers in Milton Keynes administered several drills before of the trial. They conducted safety planning with the local council and mapped the town in advance of Tuesday’s trial.

The northern city was chosen for the technology projects along with three other sites relatively due to its cycle path network and wide pavements.

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