The Transport Committee has announced that it is continuing its inquiry into autonomous vehicles (AVs) by analysing the planned regulatory framework that is currently under development about their use on public roads.
The cross-party committee will host a discussion, where it intends to post questions to experts on issues around the interaction of self-driving vehicles with pedestrians and other road users, their broader safety and security and public perception of them.
This will provide an opportunity for MPs to pose questions around the use of AVs in commercial applications, including the delivery of food and groceries, passenger shuttles, freight, public maintenance and upgrades and more.
Some other potential questions may focus on infrastructure improvements to support the broader rollout of SDVs, including Wi-fi, 4G and 5G connectivity across the road network.
The government has said that it believes the potential benefits of self-driving vehicles are “considerable”.
In a policy paper published in August 2022, the former transport and business secretaries of state outlined their objectives, as well as the government’s role in ensuring the safety and security of self-driving road vehicles for both passengers and other road users.
This session will also see the selection of a new chair of the committee by MPs on Wednesday 16 November; Ben Bradshaw MP is currently chairing meetings of the committee in the interim.
Witnesses will include: Ashley Feldman, transport and smart cities programme and policy manager, TechUK; Ben Gardner, senior associate, Pinsent Masons LLP; Mark Shepherd, assistant director and head of general insurance policy, Association of British Insurers ; Becky Guy, road safety manager, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents; Professor Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology policy, UCL; and an unnamed representative from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
