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21 Jul 2015 419pm Joe Finnerty

Driverless cars everythingyou need to know about self-driving vehicles

UK politicians are all aboard for the autonomous carrevolution but what should you know about driverless carsnow

The UK Government is frequently criticised for being slowcumbersome and paralysed by red tape but its desire to makethe UK the global centre for autonomous car technology is a farcry from that

Just six months ago ministers announced pound19million would beploughed into driverless car research and we have three workingprototypes that will begin testing this year Theres also an officialcode of practice for testing driverless cars on UK roads published

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by the Department for Transport (DfT)

Trouble is the UK is already behind the autonomous car paceGoogle has its well developed vehicle testing openly in the USwhile Volvo is the leading manufacturer at its base in SwedenAudi isnrsquot far behind while techshysavvy Japanese makers areadvanced too

bull The Google car productionshyready version of Googles driverlesscar revealed

So how realistic is it to expect the UK to challenge theseheavyweights and lead the way in welcoming driverless cars on topublic roads

A lengthy review suggests very realistic The Government is takinga ldquononshyregulatoryrdquo approach to testing that goes against mostother decisions dithered over by MPs

In the UK those wanting to test driverless vehicles openly onpublic roads wonrsquot have to gain any certificate or permit A Code ofPractice will be published this spring which testers will have toadhere to but there will be no legal hoops to jump through

All the authorities will demand is that a test driver be present incase of emergencies a data recorder be fitted and thattechnology on the vehicle has passed tests on closed roads ortest tracks

Business Secretary Vince Cable told Auto Express this is whatmakes the UK the ideal test bed compared to rival countries ldquoInthe US and continental Europe they donrsquot at the moment haveregulatory framework to make it possible which we dordquo he said

ldquoI think the other good thing is that in the UK wersquore developing thetechnology in parallel with a proper understanding of the rules andregulationsrdquo

bull Audi A7 drives itself on public roads

These rules and regulations form part of the GovernmentrsquoslsquoPathway to Driverless Carsrsquo review which lays out the variouschallenges the industry will need to overcome including insurancepolicies driving licences and car maintenance

Beyond the legal issues though is the technology Recently the

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23072015 Driverless cars all you need to know about selfshydriving cars | Auto Express

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UK has enjoyed a rise in car production with Nissan expanding inSunderland Bentley growing in Crewe Cheshire and JaguarLand Rover (JLR) continuing to invest heavily in the Midlands

Transport minister Claire Perry added ldquoI would like to makeBritain the centre of autonomous vehicle manufacture We knowall major manufacturers are interested and as the review hasshown Britain is the ideal place to run trials which need to be realworldrdquo

In fact JLR will be heavily involved in the tests in Milton Keynesand Coventry According to its director of research andtechnology Dr Wolfgang Epple itrsquos focusing on the driver as muchas pedestrians and other road users ldquoThe realshyworld testing willnot only help us deliver a range of new advanced driverassistance technologies but will ensure the excitement andenjoyment of driving will not be taken awayrdquo he said

ldquoWhile the car will be able to drive itself if the driver chooses ouraim is to assist and enhance the driver ndash and ultimately offerlevels of autonomy to suit the driverrsquos mood or needs on and offshyroadrdquo

So with testing approved and manufacturers backing the UKrsquospush to be the best what about the technological advances Canwe beat our rivals

Antony Waldock technical lead on the Bristol trial which starts inApril certainly thinks so He told us ldquoWersquore taking tech from UKuniversities plus small and large companies and putting it on tothe vehicle and understanding how it would work in Bristolrdquo

Antony will oversee a BAEshydeveloped Bowler Wildcat to determinewhich systems work best for operating a driverless vehicle Sowhat makes the UK so special

ldquoI think we have a real opportunityrdquo Antony added ldquoThe Googlecar is focused on the spinning roof sensor but that doesnrsquot work infog mist and rain and thatrsquos why Google only tests in CaliforniaWersquore looking at radar camera solutions and therefore we canstart to develop systems to use in all weathersrdquo

For once then the British weather is better than Californiarsquos andthe UK looks all set for a driverless revolution ndash but when willmotorists be able to hand over control for their daily commute

Domestic laws wonrsquot be amended until summer 2017 and EU

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23072015 Driverless cars all you need to know about selfshydriving cars | Auto Express

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regulations are unlikely to be changed before the end of 2018 Soitrsquos likely to be the next decade before a fully automated vehicle ison sale here

Still the autonomous car industry is expected to be worthpound900billion by 2025 and the UK wants a majority share Itrsquos a longroad from Greenwich to global superpower and the race is on Itremains to be seen whether wersquoll take our hands off the wheelfirst

Autonomous cars on UK roads the code ofpracticeThe Department for Transport (DfT) has issued a Code ofPractice for how driverless cars should be tested on UK roads Ithighlights procedures requirements and recommendations for allmanufacturers and organisations wishing to test fully autonomousvehicles

While the vehicles tested will be fully automated the new Code ofPractice dictates there must be a manual override at all timesThis also means that a test pilot must sit in each vehicle

Those seeking to become testers will still need a full licence andcomprehensive understanding of automated technology Therewill be no reading books or catching up on eshymail either as theCode of Practice stipulates that the tester must act as if driving thecar under normal conditions

While the testers wonrsquot actually be driving the car the car has tobe fully insured like all other vehicles on UK public roads and theDfT advise all manufacturers to inform local communities and lawenforcement of upcoming trials

Blaming the car for speeding wonrsquot help with the police either asthe DfT stipulate that the cars must obey all driving laws andlimits Cars must be fitted with an event data recorder ndash or blackbox ndash to be able to easily analyse an accident in case the worstshould happen

Legal view on driverless cars

Developing the tech is just one hurdle before drivers will be able tohand control to their car and read the paper or have a nap at thewheel The Government also faces a huge legal shakeshyup tomake it a reality with question marks over whorsquod be at fault in theevent of a crash and if motorists would still need a licence

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Transport minister Claire Perry admitted it wouldnrsquot be easy butsaid ldquoWe must not be afraid to ask these questionsrdquo So howcould things change

InsuranceIn the event of an accident is the autonomous system at fault ordoes liability fall on the lsquodriverrsquo Driverless cars should reduce thenumber of claims and subsequently bring lower insurancepremiums and the Government says if a driver can still takemanual control then a conventional policy is still needed If a car isfully autonomous this may change and some manufacturers maychoose to selfshyinsure Policies could be invalidated if owners fail tokeep software and tech upshytoshydate to prevent cyber threatshowever

Driving licencesThe Government makes a clear distinction between highlyautomated vehicles ndash for which existing licence laws remain asyou still have to take control at times ndash and fully automatedvehicles The latter which are still some way away from the roadmay require changes as they may appeal to drivers who canrsquot ordonrsquot wish to drive conventional cars

Car maintenance

EU standards will need to be updated for driverless carproduction and that includes ensuring performance of automatedsystems can be tested cheaply and easily for the annual MoTIssues could arise if a car can be driven manually but theautomated systems are broken ndash would this mean itrsquos roadworthy

The Highway CodeAutonomous cars will be expected to follow current guidelines butthe Highway Code will need to change to get the most out ofthem The tech will allow more accurate driving so for examplecars could overtake cyclists more closely while tailgating may nolonger be an offence ndash as running driverless cars close togetherbetter uses road capacity and cuts emissions

Driverless car tech on trial in the uk

Gateway

Whatrsquos the vehicle Meridian shuttleWhere is the trial taking place Greenwich SE LondonWhen is it taking place Now

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23072015 Driverless cars all you need to know about selfshydriving cars | Auto Express

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What does it involve Passenger shuttle transport andautonomous valet parking of electric carsFor how long will it last Two yearsWhat are its aims To explore reactions of pedestrians anddrivers to driverless cars and look into the legal changes needed

Venturer Consortium

Whatrsquos the vehicle BAE Bowler WildcatWhere is the trial taking place BristolWhen is it taking place AprilWhat does it involve A purposeshybuilt simulator will be mixedwith live trials on private and public roadsFor how long will it last Three yearsWhat are its aims To tackle the insurance implications whilealso finding out which of the driverless systems works mosteffectively

UK Autodrive

Whatrsquos the vehicle Catapult podWhere is the trial taking place Milton Keynes and CoventryWhen is it taking place Late 2015What does it involve Selfshydriving demos at Milton Keynes railstation public road tests of semishyautonomous Range RoversFor how long will it last Three yearsWhat are its aims To understand use of lightweight pods inpedestrianised areas plus the legal implications of use in city

Who else is in the driverless car race

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CAR TECHRelated keywords

BMW Volvo Nissan and Mercedes ndash with its Intelligent Driveprogram ndash are all steaming ahead with selfshydriving cars

The new C E and SshyClass can steer accelerate and brake for youon the motorway and Mercedes already has prototypes that cancheck your blind spots flick the indicator and pull out ndash and backin again ndash to overtake slowershymoving traffic

Mercedes bosses have told us in the past their selfshydriving modelsare likely to arrive in 2018 Nissan is working to a similartimescale and wersquove ridden in a prototype Leaf that could senseparked cars in its lane and give way to oncoming traffic beforepulling around the obstacle and back into its lane

BMWrsquos approach has been a little different ndash itrsquos showcased anM235i that can drift around a slalom and do hot laps of theNuumlrburgring But more sensible tech is coming with traditionalsemishyautonomous systems already being developed for the nextshygeneration 7 Series

What do you think about the prospect of driverless carscoming to UK roads let us know in the comments sectionbelow

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For more breaking car news and reviewssubscribe to Auto Express shy available as aweekly magazine and on your iPad Wellgive you 6 issues for pound1 and a free gift

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Comments Community Login1

Sort by Best

Join the discussionhellip

bull Reply bull

Phil bull a day agoThink about it a car that drives you to your work thenbegins its daily routine of rideshysharing other people towherever they wanna go You might as well stay homeand have your car bring in the paychecks

bull Reply bull

Robert Murray Willis bull 4 months agoInformation overload Will telematics camera andADAS information need to be kept for a similar period toParking Tickets and Accounting documentsRobert Murray Willis

bull Reply bull

Vincent Gurr bull 4 months agoMake cars safer and accessible to those who cantdrive but leave the ability to drive in place If allvehicles are legally allowed to drive themselves think ofthe number of transport employers taking advantage ofthis Does a country still blighted by high unemploymentneed autonomous technology getting into the hands oftransport companies I dont think so Also some of usstill enjoy driving when were not stuck in rush hourtraffic )

bull Reply bull

Skin67 bull 4 months agoA driverless car No different from giving the wife thecar right now then

bull Reply bull

Pete Richardson bull 4 months agoGood summary of the legal and social issues Theresalso another consideration shy for the issues that relate tocars that have manual override would that still apply ifthe car was able to take control before you dosomething daft ie if it can prevent accidents whenyoure driving as well as when it drives itself do weneed driving licences at all

Terry de Winne bull 4 months ago

gt Pete Richardson

Probably a senior moment but I seem to beexperiencing a flashback shy are we back in the50s or 60s when driverless cars last hit theheadlines Only people were more savvy inthose days and after a short trial they weredeemed impracticalWe already have driverless vehicles shy they arecalled trains buses and trams Why is lots ofmy money being wasted on another pipe

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bull Reply bull

my money being wasted on another pipedreamAnd Google have got it all wrong shy allpedestrians would have to be fitted with air bagsto ensure their safety shy unless they are alreadymorbidly obese of course

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