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Written question asked by Lee Anderson (Reform UK) on Thursday, 5 June 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 June 2025. It was answered by Lilian Greenwood (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 June 2025 on behalf of the Department for Transport.


Driverless Vehicles

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the legalisation of self-driving vehicles on people whose jobs require driving.

Answer

The development of self-driving vehicle technology has the potential to support our Plan for Growth, creating up to 38,000 high-quality jobs, and unlocking £42 billion for the UK economy by 2035. Additional benefits will include reducing human error – which causes nearly 9 in 10 road collisions – and offering new, flexible transport options, particularly for those with limited mobility.

We expect that the introduction of self-driving vehicles will be gradual, given the current readiness of the technology. We are committed to continued engagement with affected groups, including representatives for taxi, bus and private hire vehicle drivers, as we develop and implement the secondary legislation underpinning the Act.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
57694
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Driverless vehicles
Legislation
Automated Vehicles Act 2024
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk