Peter Vosper: Is technology moving too fast or should we prepare for more?

I am sure many of you read my comments about autonomous driving and thought “unlikely in the near future” but with the arrival of more Chinese product and more restrictions on vehicles speed and new safety measures being built into new product, change could come faster than you think. 

In 1965 the American Automobile Safety Foundation stated that “taking control away from the driver..not only is extremely dangerous but also robs the vehicle of the very mobility that makes the automobile popular”. By 1994 this had changed and the Eureka Prometheus Project, funded mainly by European governments, introduced a 1000 kilometre drive on roads near Paris with two vehicles operating hands-free, automatically changing lanes, tracking and overtaking other vehicles.

By 2013 all major car companies were testing and trialling autonomous vehicles. Waymo now operates more than 1,500 robotaxis in five US cities and will soon begin testing the cars with human supervision, in the UK.

Next year London will become the first European city to have an autonomous taxi service. A  growing number of drivers of new products have the opportunity to use systems which allow them to drive hands-free on motorways. Our directors tell me this is less stressful on these busy roads and ensures they are driving within the limit as well as a feeling of additional safety if other drivers cause problems.

Older drivers, like myself may find the pleasure of driving a car, has in many cases disappeared, because of the increase in traffic, the growth of accidents, and the lack of driving skills of many drivers. There is also no question that autonomous cars will save lives and ultimately reduce journey times.

There is also progress in the introduction of four-seater electric air taxis and the vision of Joby Aviation, whose S4 prototype electric vertical take-off and landing(evtol) aircraft will go to Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) pilots in the new year, with launches planned in Dubai, the US, Japan and the UK. however, Eric Allison, Joby’s chief product officer said, “We have got to the showing rather than the telling part and we are on the final lap of FAA certification and validation”.

Last week a crowd of tens of thousands watched Joby prototypes flying in Tokyo. This is a crucial market for Joby as one of their biggest investors and supporters is Toyota, the world’s largest car company. All is dependant on the FAA but if they move at pace “then clarity could happen really quickly” says Allison.

The potential does not just involve from the centre of major cities to the airport and vice-versa, but a leisure and tourist market too. In the UK, Allison sees the central London to Heathrow connection as key because “using a conventional taxi or subway takes a long time”.

The aircraft is capable of 200 mph and has a range of 150 miles on a single charge which could be an alternative to rail services. Virgin Atlantic is a chosen airport partner in the UK but Uber is also another significant Joby investor and Uber -branded Joby evotls are likely in several markets.

This could be significant to the South West as existing heliports could be used as well as water locations like the Thames or Plymouth Sound, connecting business and leisure users to other cities and international airports.