From science fiction to reality: People in London and Edinburgh set to be the first to trial self-driving vehicle services.
For the first time, the public will experience self-driving vehicle services thanks to government backing for 3 world-leading public trials by 2021.
Pilots will include an autonomous bus service across the Forth Bridge from Fife to Edinburgh, and self-driving taxi services in London.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said:
“Autonomous vehicles and their technology will not only revolutionise how we travel, it will open up and improve transport services for those who struggle to access both private and public transport.”
All the projects will include social behavioural research to further explore how driverless technology can seamlessly integrate into society, with the findings applied to the development for future autonomous service models.
It is to be hoped that such research will include full consultation with disabled people so that autonomous vehicles can ‘seamlessly integrate’ into our lives and remedy the issues we have with public transport.