Peter Vosper: Why we need more automated vehicles in Britain

When I started driving more than 60 years ago there were few enough cars and drivers to allow motorists to cope with many of the challenges facing them on the roads. Nevertheless, there were still many deaths and serious accidents causing an increasing workload on government, councils, police and hospitals and much grief to loved ones, families and friends.

Over the years the number of cars on the road have grown and the demand for more safety and reduced accidents has introduced more and more restrictions and controls but the main reason serious accidents and deaths have reduced is because of new and brilliant technology.

Electrical management systems have balanced not only the engines but the handling management of the car, combined with safety devices all of which the majority of motorists would be lost without.

I remember being taught what to do when my car started to skid but then many years later going to Lucas to test drive their anti-lock braking system which Ford were going to introduce to their products.

I could not believe that I could continue to brake forcefully but the card would not go into a skid and potentially out of control. What was even more extraordinary was it worked on a wet road as well as a dry one.

Although there are many devices like electric wipers, automatic screen clearing systems, automatic lights, including dipping, electrically adjusting mirrors which many motorists readily accept there are others like Adaptive Cruise Control and Pan Assist, the most popular Advanced Driver Assistant Systems (ADAS) among survey correspondents which are already making our roads safer.

Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB) technology, for example, is now available on eight-to-ten cars and has led to a 38 per cent reduction in real world end crashes. With some 9-in -10 car road collisions caused by human error the potential of fully automated features to reduce the risk of accidents and casualties on Britain’s roads is self-evident.

This is why the Society of Manufacturers and Traders is calling for the swift passing of the Automated Vehicles Bill to deliver long term economic and social benefits.

Technology could save another 3,200 lives and prevent 53,000 serious accidents by 2040 with a £38 billion economic boost if self-driving passenger vehicles are deployed on UK roads.

Stress free and better rural availability, and potentially fares and cheaper insurance are the most popular reasons to try self-driving cars and public services, according to a new poll.

Nearly a third of all adults (29 per cent) would use an automated passenger, with Gen Z even keener (44 per cent) despite never having tried the cutting-edge tech. Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the SMMT, said: "Backing the AV Bill now is fundamental if Britain is to not only to develop but deploy self-driving passenger cars and services…..Any further delay risks leaving Britain in the slow lane, jeopardising our competitiveness and holding back the significant safety and economic rewards self-driving can deliver."