A new report published by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee has laid out a number of recommendations to ensure that the UK is fully prepared for the advent of driverless and semi-autonomous vehicles.

The chair of the select committee Louise Ellman said: “The government should be more active and have a much more holistic strategy to make sure this new technology has the maximum effect. We need someone in charge of this, looking across manufacturing, technology, regulation and testing.”

She also called for the creation of a dedicated ministerial role for driverless cars, as at present responsibility is split between transport ministers Claire Perry and Baroness Kramer, with some involvement from business secretary Vince Cable, although there seems to be no formal division of duties.
The recommendations also include more incentive schemes for ultra-low emission vehicles, such as electric cars and vans, which currently only account for 2.4 per cent of the UK’s road vehicles.