A look down the road
How driverless cars will change Britain
Key takeaways
Driverless cars could transform the UK's road network and infrastructure planning
The industry for driverless technology is estimated to be worth £900 billion globally by 2025
Consumer uptake of driverless cars may be slow, but infrastructure must adapt in anticipation
Recent history is speckled with companies and sectors positively disrupted by technological advances – our roads are surely next. People spend an average of 235 hours driving each year through a landscape that has largely remained unchanged since the days of Henry Ford.
The change that will come is something many governments are already thinking about, with the UK publishing its first report and action plan for driverless vehicles at the start of 2016. The report followed announcements from the likes of Google, Audi, Ford and Jaguar Land Rover – all of whom are making bold predictions about when driverless technology will move from concept to reality.
Despite the enthusiasm of an industry estimated to be worth £900bn globally by 2025, in the medium term it’s still premature for drivers to start planning suitable pastimes to while away the hours spent speeding down the motorway with the vehicle in total control.
While consumer uptake can be capricious, our infrastructure sector is well placed to start anticipating how these technologies will shape our road network. So, what are the short-term priorities, and the long-term implications? Read our full report to find out more.
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