The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is launching a study on connected and autonomous mobility (CAM), with a focus on improving road safety and accessibility and reducing congestion.
The study is set to provide a final report in around twelve months, with an interim report set for this summer. The Commission said it would publish details of how interested organisations can help inform the study 'in due course'.
'The focus of the study should be to consider the incremental steps and interventions that may be required on the road network to pursue a pathway towards more widespread adoption and the desired benefits,' the NIC said.
'This would form the basis of an adaptive strategy, exploring what additional policy and infrastructure requirements may be needed beyond the initial regulatory, safety and legislative framework already being developed by government to achieve its 2025 vision for CAM.'
Aurrigo self-driving auto-shuttle trial, Manchester, July 2022
Outlining the terms of reference, the Government asked the NIC to specifically consider:
- The additional policy, governance and infrastructure that may be needed to realise a range of benefits, reflecting the uncertainty about technological development. Both physical and digital infrastructure (including data) should be considered, alongside network management, operations and how policies and recommendations could be implemented.
- The potential use for private cars, taxis and private hire vehicles as the primary focus, but use cases and infrastructure needs associated with public transport and freight and logistics should also be included. The study should also differentiate between different road types and networks as appropriate.
- Costs, benefits, any associated risks and dependencies of different infrastructure requirements and to whom the costs may fall, and benefits accrue.
- Benefits to conventionally driven or unconnected vehicles as well as those that are connected and self-driving.
- Sequencing and prioritisation of interventions and the extent to which they are robust to uncertainty.
The work coincides with the Automated Vehicles Bill, which aims to ensure the CAM market will be enabled by a comprehensive regulatory, legislative and safety framework.
Commissioner Michele Dix said: 'This technology enables us to think differently about how we could manage the country’s congested roads, transforming the experiences of drivers and public transport users and giving business productivity a real boost.
'The study is a chance to understand the full implications of the technology for future infrastructure design and operation, and to identify the policies government will need to ensure it succeeds.'
In August 2022, the UK government predicted that by 2025 the UK will begin to see deployments of self-driving vehicles.
