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UK to allow driverless cars on public roads UK to allow driverless cars on public roads in January
(about 4 hours later)
The UK government is to outline measures to permit driverless cars to use public roads by next year. The UK government has announced that driverless cars will be allowed on public roads from January next year.
Currently, autonomous vehicles are only allowed on private roads. It also invited cities to compete to host one of three trials of the tech, which would start at the same time.
The Department for Transport had previously pledged to allow self-driving cars to be trialled on public roads by the end of 2013. In addition, ministers ordered a review of the UK's road regulations to provide appropriate guidelines.
In December, the Treasury said it would create a £10m prize to fund a town or city to become a testing ground for the cars. The Department for Transport had originally pledged to let self-driving cars be trialled on public roads by the end of 2013.
The government wants to signal that Britain can be a leader in such technology, and Business Secretary Vince Cable will announce measures to boost research later. Business Secretary Vince Cable revealed the details of the new plan at a research facility belonging to Mira, an automotive engineering firm based in the Midlands.
In his National Infrastructure Plan of 2013, Chancellor George Osborne outlined his goal to ensure "that the legislative and regulatory framework demonstrates to the world's car companies that the UK is the right place to develop and test driverless cars". "Today's announcement will see driverless cars take to our streets in less than six months, putting us at the forefront of this transformational technology and opening up new opportunities for our economy and society," he said.
UK engineers, including a group at the University of Oxford, have been experimenting with driverless cars. But, concerns about legal and insurance issues have so far restricted the cars to private roads. UK engineers, including a group at the University of Oxford, have been experimenting with driverless cars. But, concerns about legal and insurance issues have so far restricted the machines to private roads.
Automotive engineering firm MIRA has tested its vehicles at an 850-acre site in the Midlands. Other countries have, however, been swifter to provide access to public routes.
However, other countries have been swifter to allow autonomous cars on their public roads. The US States of California, Nevada and Florida have all approved tests of the vehicles. In California alone, Google's driverless car has done more than 300,000 miles on the open road.
The US States of California, Nevada and Florida have all paved the way for the vehicles. In California alone, Google's driverless car has done more than 300,000 miles on the open road.
In 2013, Nissan carried out Japan's first public road test of an autonomous vehicle on a highway.In 2013, Nissan carried out Japan's first public road test of an autonomous vehicle on a highway.
And the Swedish city of Gothenburg is to allow 1,000 Volvo driverless cars to take to the road by 2017. And in Europe, the Swedish city of Gothenburg has given Volvo permission to test 1,000 driverless cars - although that trial is not scheduled to occur until 2017.
Competition cash
UK cities wanting to host one of the trials have until the start of October to declare their interest.
The tests are then intended to run for between 18 to 36 months.
A £10m fund has been created to cover their costs, with the sum to be divided between the three winners.
Meanwhile, civil servants have been given until the end of this year to publish a review of road regulations.
This will cover the need for self-drive vehicles to comply with safety and traffic laws, and involve changes to the Highway Code, which applies to England, Scotland and Wales.
Two area will be examined by the review: how the rules should apply to vehicles in which the driver can take back control at short notice, and how they should apply to vehicles in which there is no driver.
International rivals
In May, Google unveiled plans to manufacture 100 self-driving vehicles.In May, Google unveiled plans to manufacture 100 self-driving vehicles.
The search-giant exhibited a prototype which has no steering wheel or pedals - just a stop-go button.The search-giant exhibited a prototype which has no steering wheel or pedals - just a stop-go button.
Google has also put its autonomous driving technology in cars built by other companies, including Toyota, Audi and Lexus.Google has also put its autonomous driving technology in cars built by other companies, including Toyota, Audi and Lexus.
Other major manufacturers, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and General Motors, are developing their own models.Other major manufacturers, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and General Motors, are developing their own models.
And automated parking is among the innovations being introduced. Most recently, the Chinese search engine Baidu also declared an interest, saying its research labs were at an "early stage of development" on a driverless car project.
But concerns about the safety of driverless cars have been raised by politicians in the US and elsewhere.But concerns about the safety of driverless cars have been raised by politicians in the US and elsewhere.
Earlier this month, the FBI warned that driverless cars could be used as lethal weapons, predicting that the vehicles "will have a high impact on transforming what both law enforcement and its adversaries can operationally do with a car".Earlier this month, the FBI warned that driverless cars could be used as lethal weapons, predicting that the vehicles "will have a high impact on transforming what both law enforcement and its adversaries can operationally do with a car".