Government launches competition to kick-start commercial self-driving services

The government has launched a £40 million competition to kick-start commercial self-driving services, such as delivery vehicles and passenger shuttles.

The Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility competition will provide grants to help roll out commercial use self-driving vehicles across the UK from 2025.

Types of self-driving vehicles that could be deployed include delivery vans, passenger buses, shuttles and pods, as well as vehicles that move people and luggage at airports and containers at shipping ports.

The government says the competition will cement the UK’s reputation “as a global leader in self-driving vehicle technology,” unlocking a new industry that could be worth £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035, potentially creating 38,000 new skilled jobs.

£1.5 million of the funding will be used to study and explore using self-driving vehicles as a means of public transport that could provide an alternative to mass transit systems. This includes, for example, using self-driving vehicles on routes separated from other traffic that could be cheaper and more flexible than new railway lines.

Designed to bring together companies and investors, the aim is to establish sustainable business models that can be rolled out nationally and exported globally.

Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone said, “Self-driving vehicles have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives, whether it’s by helping to better connect people who rely on public transport with jobs, local shops, and vital services, or by making it easier for those who have mobility issues to order and access services conveniently.

“This funding will help unlock the incredible potential of this new and growing industry, building on the continued development of self-driving technology, attracting investment and helping make our transport cleaner, safer and more efficient.”

Transport Minister Trudy Harrison added, “Our absolute priority is harnessing the technology to improve road safety. With around 88% of road collisions currently caused by human error, this funding will drive the introduction of new technology to improve travel for all.”

Meanwhile the government is continuing to develop a comprehensive legal and assurance framework for self-driving vehicles and under the Transport Bill announced in the recent Queen’s Speech will introduce comprehensive legislation for self-driving vehicles to enable safe and responsible deployment.