Self-driving cars could hit UK roads next year

The UK government has said that we could see self-driving cars on public roads as soon as 2023. 

Car companies all around the world have been working on the idea of autonomous cars for years and now that vision is becoming a reality. 

This news comes following talks that ministers wish to bring the future of driving forward by allowing some cars, lorries and buses to utilise their self-driving features – all of which will be accelerated through use of a £100 million budget from the government. 

While fully autonomous vehicles are said to be banned on UK roads until 2025, the law changes in 2023 would see the introduction of advanced lane-keep assist technology – much like the technology you’d find inside a Tesla.

The end goal by as early as 2025 could see self-driving cars delivering shopping to customers or taking people to the airport. It is something the government is really keen to aid and Grant Shapps, secretary of state for transport said he wants the UK to be at the ‘forefront’ of this change.

This news interestingly follows statistics from the Department of Transport saying that UK learner driver pass rates are at an all-time low, which has sparked the introduction of a Ready to Pass scheme to help new drivers. 

However, this shift in results may mean the potential for all-electric self-driving cars is even more appealing to future generations than before.

By Ben Welham