Auto industry claims driverless cars will bring economic and safety windfall
A new report compiled for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has predicted that a new breed of driverless cars could bring an economic and safety windfall to Britain, generating as many as 320,000 new jobs and saving 2,500 lives per year.
Compiled by accountancy firm KPMG the report claims that the technological revolution could be in full force as early as 2030, by which point the bold economic and safety predictions are expected to come to pass.
By this point it is believed all new cars will be fully autonomous complete with a range of online driving aids such as collision avoidance for those still wanting to remain in control.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Connected and autonomous cars will transform our roads and the way society functions for generations to come,” he said. “The report shows the UK automotive industry is leading the way in developing the cars of the future that it will act as a catalyst for wider economic benefits.
“The UK must grasp the opportunities ahead so it is continually at the forefront of pushing through these next breakthrough technologies.”
Britain is a European leader in the field, launching trials of such systems in London, Bristol, Milton Keynes and Coventry with chancellor George Osborne stumping up £100m in his recent budget to support industry.
The current edition of The Drum magazine investigates the impact of driverless technology in detail.