1 Introduction
1. Advances in fuels, materials and information technology
are revolutionising motoring. The Economist described the
application of such new technologies to vehicles as most significant
development in automotive transport since Henry Ford and his engineers
turned the car into a mass-market item in 1913.[1]
Self-parking cars that read traffic signs, that maintain a safe
distance from the car in front and that brake automatically are
already on sale in the UK. Google is developing cars which drive
themselves to a selected destination without a human driver.[2]
New technology is being applied to infrastructure as well as to
vehicles. For example, a digitised toll system was introduced
on the Dartford crossing in November 2014,[3]
and the Highways Agency is planning to test a Scalextric-style
system on a stretch of motorway to recharge electric cars on the
move.[4]
2. In the future, we are likely to see vehicles that
are increasingly autonomous, combine technologies to improve fuel
efficiency and make driving safer. It is inevitable that such
new technologies will transform motoring, although it is impossible
to predict exactly when they will reach the mass market. Addressing
such uncertainty around when new technology will be introduced
is a major challenge for government. Changes in vehicles will
be complemented by alterations in the infrastructure around roads
to enable vehicle-to-vehicle communications and vehicle-to-infrastructure
communications. The future will offer a mix of those different
technologies, and they will become available at differing times.
3. Societal attitudes to motoring are also changing.
Gerry Keaney, Chief Executive Officer, British Vehicle Rental
and Leasing Association (BVRLA), stated that "Every demographic
study you read about young people living in the major cities shows
that they are increasingly less motivated to learn to drive. They
are less motivated to take their driving test and, where they
do learn to drive, they are less interested in owning a vehicle."[5]
Such changing attitudes are reflected in the increased popularity
of car sharing schemes.[6]
4. Changes in technology may mean that vehicle ownership
carries new obligations in the future beyond ensuring roadworthiness.
That might entail, for example, ensuring that the latest software
updates have been applied to a vehicle. As vehicles takeover an
increasing number of tasks from drivers, the question of liability
in the event of an accident will become much more complicated.
Will the driver of a vehicle remain liable even if a car is operating
autonomously, or will the manufacturer of the vehicle bear some
responsibility? Depending on how liabilities are apportioned,
such technological changes might lead to different models of ownership
and a different relationship between manufacturers, owners and
drivers. The role of the insurance sector may also change. Some
traditional manufacturers may be displaced as new manufacturers
enter the market.[7]
5. New technologies can make a major contribution
to reducing fatalities and serious injuries, cutting emissions
and improving traffic flows. Potential benefits include:
· improved
fuel efficiency
· safer
roads for all road users (drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians)
· reduced
congestion
· decreased
pollution
· improved
traffic flows
· improved
mobility for elderly and disabled people
· more
comprehensive data for insurers, policymakers and traffic managers
· commercial
opportunities for UK business.
Inquiry
6. We decided to hold an inquiry to examine Government
support for the development of new automotive technologies and
the action the Department for Transport (DfT) is taking to set
standards, shape markets and influence consumer choices, so that
the potential benefits identified in paragraph 5 can be realised.
We issued a call for evidence on 18 June 2014 and invited comments
on developments in technology and the Government's role in supporting
such developments. We held four oral evidence sessions in October
and November 2014, when we heard from the automotive industry,
academics, local government, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles
(OLEV), and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, DfT, Claire
Perry MP. We are grateful for the written and oral evidence which
we received, and in particular to witnesses who took the time
to travel to London to provide oral evidence.
1 The Economist, The future of the car: clean, safe and it drives itself,
20 April 2013 Back
2
Innovate UK, Driverless cars: 4 cities get green light for everyday trials,
3 December 2014 Back
3
Highways Agency, Find out about the new Dart Charge scheme, 19
September 2014 Back
4
Highways Agency, Preparing the strategic road network for electric vehicles,
2014 Back
5
Q88 Back
6
Q88 Back
7
For example, Google, Uber and Tesla. Back
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