Latest news with #AutomatedVehiclesAct
Top Gear
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
A Tesla Model 3 has driven itself around a 'Magic Roundabout' in the UK
Electric Tesla debuts its 'Full Self-Driving (Supervised)' tech for the first time. Somehow deals with London Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading A 'self-driving' Tesla Model 3 has achieved a feat no human has ever been able to manage. It has successfully self-navigated around Swindon's ironically named 'Magic Roundabout'. Furthermore, this 'self-driving' Model 3 – equipped with Level 2 SAE autonomy – also managed to drive itself around London without much fuss. An endeavour practically unheard of. Advertisement - Page continues below Why is this particular Model 3 going on an impromptu self-driving road trip? Possibly because Tesla's so-called 'Robotaxis' might be planning a UK launch. That's right: driverless taxis are coming. It marks the UK debut for the carmaker's 'Full Self Driving (Supervised)' technology. As mentioned, it's actually akin to Level 2 SAE, so although it's packed with cameras and is able to drive itself, a human is required to pay attention at all times. You might like And Tesla's tech debut comes at an interesting time. The Department for Transport (DfT) has kickstarted a consultation about the development and deployment of self-driving cars ahead of the 'Automated Vehicles Act' (AVA) coming into force in 2027. 'Self-driving vehicles are one of the most exciting opportunities to improve transport for so many people, especially those in rural areas or unable to drive,' said the government's Lilian Greenwood. Advertisement - Page continues below "We want to work with passengers and industry to make this new form of transport safe and accessible, as we take our next steps towards adoption. This technology doesn't just have the potential to improve transport for millions of people, it will help stimulate innovation, create thousands of jobs, and drive investment to put more money in people's pockets." Indeed, self-driving cars look to be big bidness: it could generate as much as £42 billion for the UK, while creating some 38,000 jobs. Let's see if that self-driving Model 3 can make it around the M25 during rush hour in one piece, then we'll be impressed Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Daily Mirror
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
New UK driving laws to be introduced soon after being 'fast tracked'
A new consultation has been launched on the automated passenger services (APS) permitting scheme and the draft stature instrument, which will dictate the future of self-driving vehicles Fresh motoring regulations will arrive on British roads in the coming months as autonomous vehicles begin their rollout. Labour MP and minister Lilian Greenwood has unveiled a consultation regarding the automated passenger services (APS) licensing framework and the draft statutory instrument. The MP is encouraging both the general public and industry experts to share their perspectives on the future of driverless cars. The APS framework represents a crucial element of the Automated Vehicles Act, which will govern self-driving taxis, bus-style services and cabs once fully enacted in the latter half of 2027. The government has chosen to accelerate trials of autonomous passenger vehicles to spring 2026, enabling companies to test small-scale operations without a safety driver for the first time, reports Birmingham Live. Advancing these driverless vehicle trials will generate 38,000 employment opportunities to boost household incomes, spurring investment to support British engineering expertise and establishing an industry valued at £42 billion by 2035. Future of roads minister, she explained: "Self-driving vehicles are one of the most exciting opportunities to improve transport for so many people, especially those in rural areas or unable to drive." "We want to work with passengers and industry to make this new form of transport safe and accessible, as we take our next steps towards adoption. Labour MP and minister Lilian Greenwood continued: "This technology doesn't just have the potential to improve transport for millions of people. It will help stimulate innovation, create thousands of jobs, and drive investment to put money money in people's pockets-all part of delivering our Plan for Change." Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, also added: "Britain's self-driving vehicle revolution moves one step closer, with today's announcements putting the country on track to reap the road safety and socio-economic benefits this technology can deliver." "Pilot rollout of commercial self-driving services from next year will widen public access to mobility, while the consultation will ensure the technology is deployed in a safe and responsible way." He concluded: "These latest measures will help Britain remain a world leader in the development and introduction of self-driving vehicles, a manifest application of AI at its finest." As explained, self-driving vehicles can facilitate people to get around more easily, especially for those who don't have a license. It can also add a new method of transport in rural areas, improving mobility and overall road safety by reducing the number of accidents.
Time Out
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time Out
Uber is launching driverless cars in London next year
Guys, it's happening. Driverless cars are about to become an actual real-life thing in the UK. Uber has announced that it has joined forces with AI firm Wayve to bring self-drive taxis (aka 'robotaxis') to London's roads next year. The big reveal has come after the UK government said that trials of fully driverless vehicles would be brought forward to spring 2026. Hang on, though – haven't trials been going on in the UK for years? Well, yes, for more than a decade actually. But those tests have all involved having a human safety driver on board, ready to take over the controls if necessary. Under the new government legislation, these new vehicles will be the first in Europe to operate without human backup. For now, the vehicles are just part of a trial and it's not clear whether they'll be available for customers to use – the company says that it's still ironing out the details. A larger rollout is expected in late 2027. The department for transport reckons that the vehicles will help reduce deaths and injuries on British roads, as they have faster reaction times than humans and have been trained on a large number of driving scenarios. It also says that they could create 38,000 jobs and add £42bn to the UK economy by 2035. Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: 'The future of transport is arriving. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology.' The government's Automated Vehicles Act will require self-driving cars to be approved after tests to demonstrate 'a level of safety at least as high as competent and careful human drivers'. Robotaxis are already up and running in cities across the US, China, UAE and Singapore, and studies are still looking into whether they really are more or less safe than human-driven cars. Some people are more sus of the whole thing. Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, told the Guardian: 'They are living in fantasy land. We're probably going to have flying taxis before we have autonomous ones in London. 'Most people haven't got a robot hoover or a robot lawnmower even though they are absolutely fantastic. Are people who don't trust a robot to cut their grass or clean their house going to trust one to take their kids to school or drive their elderly mum around?'
Malay Mail
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Steering into the future: Uber's driverless taxis hit London streets by 2026
LONDON, June 12 — Ride-hailing firm Uber will launch self-driving taxis in London next year when England trials new driverless services, the firm and the UK government said on Tuesday. Under the Uber pilot scheme, services will initially have a human in the driver's seat who can take control of the vehicle in an emergency, but the trials will eventually transition to being fully driverless. The government announcement will see companies including Uber allowed to trial commercial driverless services without a human presence for the first time in the UK. They will include taxis and 'bus-like' services. Uber CEO Andrew Macdonald described London's roads as 'one of the world's busiest and most complex urban environments'. 'Our vision is to make autonomy a safe and reliable option for riders everywhere, and this trial in London brings that future closer to reality,' he said. Members of the public will be able to book the transport via an app from spring 2026, ahead of a potential wider rollout when new legislation — the Automated Vehicles Act — becomes law from the second half of 2027, the Department for Transport added. The technology could create 38,000 jobs, add £42 billion (RM240.2 billion) to the UK economy by 2025, and make roads safer, it said. 'The future of transport is arriving. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world-leaders in new technology,' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said. 'We can't afford to take a back seat on AI.... That's why we're bringing timelines forward today,' added Technology Secretary Peter Kyle. The wider rollout will also allow the sale and use of self-driving, private cars. Driverless vehicle trials have been underway in the UK since January 2015, with British companies Wayve and Oxa 'spearheading significant breakthroughs in the technology', the ministry said. 'These early pilots will help build public trust and unlock new jobs, services, and markets,' said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall. According to the government the forthcoming legislation will require self-driving vehicles to 'achieve a level of safety at least as high as competent and careful human drivers'. '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,' it said. Driverless taxis with limited capacity are already on the roads in the United States and China, most notably in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where a fleet of over 500 can be hailed by app in designated areas. — AFP
Daily Mirror
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Brits believe roads will be fully driverless in 15 years - but want tougher laws
The government has set a timetable for the introduction of self-driving vehicles but research suggests many people are wary People want tough laws to keep driverless cars safe, a poll found. Most think self-driving vehicles will be commonplace within 15 years, and a quarter of young adults expect to buy one in the next three years. But the safety of the rapidly evolving technology is a concern. Nearly four in 10 questioned in research by National Accident Helpline disagreed that the current laws are adequate to address it. This figure rose to more than half among people aged 55 and over. Nearly 60% of the 2,000 respondents agreed that drivers should have a new licence for a self-driving car, while almost eight in 10 think self-driving cars should be required to pass more stringent safety tests than human-driven vehicles. The results come after Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander this week announced that the government will allow self-driving commercial vehicle pilot schemes from spring 2026. Uber, one of the first firms taking advantage of the move, says it will launch a robotaxi service in partnership with UK AI firm Wayve in London as soon as next spring. A wider rollout is expected when the full Automated Vehicles Act becomes law from the second half of 2027, although local authorities' consent will be required. John Kushnick, legal operations director at National Accident Helpline, said: 'What's fascinating is that many people express safety concerns about self-driving cars, yet often overlook how unsafe human drivers actually are. This highlights a clear gap in public understanding – most accidents are caused by human error, not technology. 'Over a third of respondents said they'd trust autopilot on planes more than a self-driving car, but again, that comes down to familiarity and education. Automation is already making travel safer, and public attitudes will likely shift over time, just as they did with autopilot in planes. "Liability, however, remains a key question. With autonomous vehicles, it's likely that manufacturers will bear more responsibility. "The benefit is that these cars will record everything, making it easier to establish fault. However, we'll need to rethink how insurance works when the human is no longer in control – does the policy belong to the person or the machine?" The implementation of the Automated Vehicles Act has been delayed by a year. It became law in May 2024, was initially hailed as a major step forward for the UK's self-driving car ambitions, establishing a legal framework stating that when a vehicle is in self-driving mode, the manufacturer - not the human occupant - is liable for its behaviour, with the intention of paving the way for the introduction of autonomous vehicles as early as 2026. Several factors contributed to the government's decision to push back the approval date, with safety concerns playing a major role.
