It seems that each year we get slightly closer to self-driving cars becoming the norm, but how close are we to this as an actual reality? Britain is edging closer towards self-driving cars with the Government recently announcing a plan to roll out autonomous vehicles by 2025 backed by an investment of £100 million.
Current Self-Driving Technology
Of course, many modern cars come with autonomous features, and this shows that the technology is practically there. Vehicles like the Tesla Model S have full self-driving systems but currently are not allowed to use this legally on UK roads. Currently, Level 2 autonomous cars are allowed which are those that allow computers to take over various functions. This can include lane-change mode, driver monitoring and self-parking features. Level 3 is on the cusp, which allows all aspects of driving to be automated but the driver must be ready to intervene.
Future of Self-Driving Tech
The future of self-driving cars is exciting because it could be transformative and improve the lives of millions. Not only will they make driving easier and less stressful, but they could revolutionise transport by giving everyone better access to vital services. This is particularly beneficial for those that do not drive, and it could also improve connections for rural communities. It is also hoped that implementing self-driving cars will also reduce the number of accidents and fatalities each year and make the roads safer for all. On top of all of this, the self-driving car industry could also create tens of thousands of new jobs in the UK.
How Businesses Will Benefit & Adapt
It is also interesting to consider how the implementation of self-driving cars will benefit businesses. Self-driving cars could transform many different industries by enabling the movement of items to people as opposed to people to items whether this is self-driving cars delivering important items to remote workers or vehicles making deliveries to consumers. Businesses will want to prepare for the self-driving revolution, so it might be worth leasing an electric car with autonomous features as a way to get used to electric and self-driving cars before they are fully rolled out and become the norm.
It seems that self-driving cars will become the norm within just a few years, and this makes it an incredibly exciting time in the auto industry. For an eternity it has seemed that self-driving cars are the future but always on the horizon, but the government’s new plans mean that fully autonomous cars could be on the roads in just a few years. This will be transformative, and it is hard to imagine just how much life will change as a result of this development.
