The UK is poised to become a global leader in the self-driving vehicle market, projected to be worth £42 billion, following the introduction of new laws focusing on safety and innovation. The Automated Vehicles (AV) Bill, announced during the King’s Speech on November 7th, aims to create one of the world’s most comprehensive legal frameworks for autonomous vehicles.

Ben Garratt, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Logistics UK, highlights the Bill's role in safely advancing the commercial development of self-driving vehicles. This advancement is seen as a transformative opportunity for the logistics sector to lead in innovation and public education on the benefits of autonomous technology.

Garratt urges continued collaboration among government, investors, tech companies, and the logistics industry to trial and deploy these vehicles. This collaboration is crucial for developing business cases and reducing technology costs. A strong regulatory environment, alongside a solid business case for investment in autonomy, is essential for sector growth.

The Bill also aims to facilitate advanced trials of self-driving vehicles, even those without a driver, a step seen as key to demonstrating leadership in cutting-edge technologies.

The logistics sector's innovation journey is supported by a network of respected organisations, including CCAV, the Law Commission, DVSA, Innovate UK, Connected Places Catapult, and Zenzic. Autonomous commercial vehicles have a wide range of applications, from long-haul trunking and city deliveries to postal services, refuse collection, and quarry operations.