Self-Driving Revolution: Safety, Accessibility, and the Future of UK Transport

This episode explores the transformative potential of Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) in the UK, focusing on safety, accessibility, and economic growth. CAVs are projected to drastically improve road safety by avoiding up to 88% of collisions linked to human error. The industry could add £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035 and create 38,000 jobs. Crucially, the technology promises greater independence for disabled and older citizens through services like automated dial-a-ride. However, overcoming barriers like public distrust, ensuring national infrastructure, and regulating cyber-security and liability remain vital challenges.

Key Takeaways

• CAVs are anticipated to enhance road safety significantly, as they are trained by expert drivers and programmed to comply with road rules, potentially avoiding the "fatal five" causes of deadly crashes (speeding, drink/drug driving, phone use, antisocial driving, and not wearing a seatbelt).
• The deployment of autonomous services could be transformational for non-drivers, offering independence, flexibility, and spontaneous travel options to those with visual impairments, disabilities, or medical conditions, as seen in welcomed trials like Waymo coming to London.
• The UK government estimates the automated car industry could add £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035, creating up to 38,000 new jobs.
• Public acceptance hinges on proving the reliability and safety of automated vehicles; currently, a lack of public trust remains a significant barrier to progression.
• New legal frameworks, such as the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, are necessary to establish accountability for crashes, placing legal liability on the corporate entity or technology provider, rather than the human driver.
• The national roll-out requires infrastructure updates (connectivity, data, mapping, and maintained roads/white lines) across the whole country to avoid creating a two-tier system.

Source: Connected and Automated Vehicles
Volume 774: debated on Tuesday 28 October 2025

Transcript

Ivan: 0:03

Hello and welcome again to the Bench Report, where we discuss recent debates and briefings from the benches of the UK Parliament. A new topic every episode. You're listening to Amy and Ivan. Today we're looking into connected and automated vehicles, or CAVs. It sounds futuristic, but um it's starting now.

Amy: 0:22

It really is. That anecdote from Parliament kind of sums it up, doesn't it?

Ivan: 0:25

The one near King's Cross. A 20-minute journey in a self-driving car.

Amy: 0:29

Mm-hmm. And apparently it handled, you know, the usual London chaos perfectly well.

Ivan: 0:33

Cyclists, pedestrians, the works. But the passenger felt safe. Which brings us straight to the big themes safety, accessibility, and the economy.

Amy: 0:44

Absolutely. And safety is, well, it's paramount. We see around 30,000 people killed or seriously injured on UK roads each year.

Ivan: 0:51

That's a staggering number.

Amy: 0:53

It is. And when police investigate, they often talk about the fatal five.

Ivan: 0:56

Speeding, drink, or drug driving phones.

Amy: 0:59

Exactly. Human error, essentially. Things an automated system programmed to follow the rules strictly just wouldn't do.

Ivan: 1:05

So how does that stack up in reality? I saw that Waymo over in the US with their autonomous taxes.

Amy: 1:10

Oh, yes, the Google spinoff.

Ivan: 1:12

They claim something like 80% fewer crashes that cause injuries compared to an average human driver.

Amy: 1:17

That figure is significant. It points towards what's possible. And importantly, the UK's new automated vehicles act sets a standard.

Ivan: 1:25

A minimum safety level.

Amy: 1:26

Precisely. A self-driving vehicle must be at least as safe as a competent and careful human driver. That benchmark is, I think, key for public acceptance.

Ivan: 1:35

but even if they meet that standard, there are other worries, right? Security feels like a big one.

Amy: 1:40

It's a major hurdle. If vehicles are all connected, the risk of cyber attacks, it's a serious concern. Imagine someone maliciously controlling vehicles. And it's not just digital security. There are physical issues too, like number plate cloning.

Ivan: 1:56

Ah, the ghost plates problem. That seems to be getting worse.

Amy: 1:59

Considerably. The DVLA got over 10,000 reports in 2024 about vehicles wrongly linked to fines or offenses. That's up 42% since 2020. Oh.

Ivan: 2:08

And if you can't reliably identify a vehicle, that undermines the whole system, automated or not.

Amy: 2:13

It creates real problems. Which feeds into the huge question of liability.

Ivan: 2:18

Who's responsible when an automated vehicle crashes?

Amy: 2:21

Exactly. The legal framework has to shift. It moves from the driver being at fault to potentially the company that made the car or developed the software.

Ivan: 2:32

So it's a corporate responsibility issue then?

Amy: 2:34

Largely, yes. It changes everything for insurance, for the courts. It's a fundamental shift.

Ivan: 2:40

Okay, let's switch gears slightly. Beyond the challenges, what about the benefits? Accessibility seems like a massive potential win.

Amy: 2:48

Oh, absolutely transformative. Think about independence for older people, for those with disabilities, or conditions like epilepsy that prevent driving. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

Ivan: 2:56

People who are currently reliant on others or limited public transport.

Amy: 2:59

Right. You could see dialeride services using autonomous vehicles, filling gaps where buses or trains don't go.

Ivan: 3:05

But that needs careful design, I suppose.

Amy: 3:07

Critically. Universal design has to be baked in from the start. Accessible booking, clear audio cues, maybe curb-level boarding.

Ivan: 3:14

Making sure it genuinely works for everyone. And then there's the economy.

Amy: 3:18

Yes, the projections are, frankly, huge. The government estimates. What was it?

Ivan: 3:24

42 billion pounds added to the UK economy by 2035, and creating around 38,000 jobs.

Amy: 3:30

It's not just about selling cars either. Think logistics, freight, fleet management efficiencies.

Ivan: 3:36

And certain regions are poised to benefit more, aren't they? Like the West Midlands.

Amy: 3:40

Naturally, given its automotive heritage, it's a major opportunity for manufacturing and the supply chain there.

Ivan: 3:45

So the potential is clearly there, but it hinges on getting the details right, especially the regulations.

Amy: 3:52

The secondary legislation, yes. Things like cybersecurity rules, data sharing protocols, that needs to keep pace with the technology itself.

Ivan: 4:00

We need that framework sorted quickly for this to really take off nationally.

Amy: 4:03

And crucially, nationally needs to mean everywhere. Public trust and success depend on equitable access and safety for all regions.

Ivan: 4:11

Which raises questions about places currently excluded, like Northern Ireland, where the Act doesn't yet apply. That needs addressing.

Amy: 4:18

Definitely. Ensuring no one is left behind is vital for the whole project's legitimacy.

Ivan: 4:23

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