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Over half of company car drivers would like a driverless company car, says Venson
Date: 10 March 2015 | Author: Daniel Puddicombe
Over half of all company car drivers would welcome a driverless company car, fleet management company Venson Automotive Solutions said.
According to a survey by the firm, 62% of respondents said they would be happy to let their company car do the driving. A driverless company car would remove some of the stress of a working day, Venson said.
Freedom to work during journeys, better safety and the shift of responsibility for accidents were listed as the main benefits of driverless cars for work, while 55% of those surveyed said autonomous cars will reduce road traffic accidents.
"Far from the preserve of science fiction, driverless technology is here and the industry is expected to grow considerably over the next 10 years," said Samantha Roff, managing director for Venson. "Our survey shows that company car drivers would be open to the idea of a driverless car."
Last month, the Government gave the green light for testing driverless cars on public roads in the UK.
Over the last six months, the Department for Transport carried out a review to consider the safest ways to trial driverless vehicles, the implications of testing driverless cars and the legal aspect of the tests.
The review also revealed changes to The Highway Code and the MoT testing procedure will need updating to accommodate the autonomous vehicles.
The DfT will publish a code of practice in the spring that will provide the industry with a framework to help create more advanced versions of the current models, with a full review of the legislation in the summer of 2017.
"I want the UK to be open-minded and embrace a technology that could transform our roads and open up a brand new route for global investment," said Claire Perry, transport minister. "The breadth of public and private sector involvement in the Gateway project [the Greenwich trial] is testament to the potential of driverless cars and how much we stand to gain from testing them further," said Perry.
The chancellor, George Osborne confirmed in November's autumn statement that the four cities chosen to host the £19 million Government-funded trials would be Coventry, Milton Keynes, Bristol and Greenwich, London.
