Autonomous cars to hit UK roads in 2017, says government

Driverless cars are set to make a huge impact on the UK roads as soon as next year. According to chancellor George Osborne the UK will push ahead with the technology soon.

Speaking to The Guardian, Osborne revealed some of what he will be announcing at his budget delivery this Wednesday. One way in which he plans to push the UK, to help boost the economy, is self-driving cars.

He said: “Driverless cars could represent the most fundamental change to transport since the invention of the internal combustion engine. Naturally, we need to ensure safety, and that’s what the trials we are introducing will test.”

Some road lanes may be closed in order to allow trials to take place.

Work is already underway in preparation for trials on roads in Bristol, Coventry, Milton Keynes and Greenwich. There are also plans for a “connected corridor” between London and Dover. This should allow the freight route to offer a communications network that can be tapped into.

Nissan has said it will make its first mass-market autonomous cars at its UK plant in Sunderland. Jaguar Land Rover has said it will begin self-driving car testing on the West Midland roads as soon as later this year.

READ: Google is testing wireless charging for self-driving cars