Charlotte Fernández
UKIMEA Press Office,Leeds
The Arup-led consortium has held the first collaborative trials of connected and autonomous vehicles between multiple major manufacturers, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and Tata Motors European Technical Centre.
The UK Autodrive team – a consortium of local authorities, leading technology and automotive businesses and academic institutions – will be demonstrating advanced connected and autonomous technologies in a series of trials, firstly on private test tracks, and then on public roads over the next two years.
The first trials held at HORIBA MIRA’s Midlands test track this week demonstrated the benefits of having cars that ‘talk’ to each other across multiple makes and brands of vehicle, including:
- Warnings to drivers about other connected cars ahead braking heavily which could lower the risk of rear-end collisions
- Information from traffic lights advising drivers of the optimum speed to reduce the likelihood of meeting a red light which improves traffic flow and reduces emissions
“The benefits of having cars that can communicate with each other and their surroundings could be very significant, but it is crucial that different makes and models of car ‘talk’ to one another. These trials deliberately bring together different manufacturers, helping the UK take another step towards integrating autonomous and connected vehicles into society.Tim Armitage, UK Autodrive Project Director, Arup
As part of UK Autodrive we will also be asking members of the public what they think about connected and autonomous vehicles through a series of global surveys that will track changes in public opinion over the next two years.
To take part in the survey, or find out more about the project, visit www.ukautodrive.com.