LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Self-driving cars without a safety driver are set to hit the roads in the UK by Spring 2026.
Announcing this Tuesday, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that the government will fast-track pilot editions of self-driving taxi- and bus-like services, bringing forward by a year to spring 2026, attracting investment and making the UK one of the world leaders in this technology.
It is estimated that UK's new automated vehicle industry could create 38,000 jobs and add 42 billion pounds to the UK economy by 2035.
Firms will be able to pilot small scale 'taxi- and bus-like' services without a safety driver for the first time, which could be available to the public to book via an app.
The Department for Transport said a potential wider rollout is expected when the full Automated Vehicles Act becomes law from the second half of 2027.
'Innovation, world-leading regulation and road safety will be at the forefront of the pilots, with self-driving vehicles aiming to reduce human error - which contributes to 88% of all road collisions,' it said in a press release.
The Automated Vehicles Act will require self-driving vehicles to achieve a level of safety at least as high as competent and careful human drivers, and they will undergo rigorous safety tests before being allowed on Britain's roads.
By having faster reaction times than humans, and by being trained on large numbers of driving scenarios, including learning from real-world incidents, self-driving vehicles can help reduce deaths and injuries. Unlike human drivers, AVs can never get distracted or tired and they won't drink-drive or speed, according to the Department for Transport.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said, 'We can't afford to take a back seat on AI, unless it's on a self-driving bus. It's great to see the UK storming ahead as a global leader in using this technology - making our roads safer, travel easier and driving growth by spurring innovation across the country.'
Self-driving trials have already been taking place in the UK since January 2015, with British companies Wayve and Oxa spearheading significant breakthroughs in the technology.
The UK is already host to a thriving self-driving sector. Wayve secured a record-breaking investment of more than $1 billion and announced recent partnerships with Nissan and Uber. Oxa has already supported 'bus-like' services in the U.S. and started rolling out self-driving vehicles at London's Heathrow Airport to improve baggage handling.
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