Hi everybody.
With Volvo announcing that limited numbers of driverless vehicles will be running on the streets of London next year (2017) on an everyday basis (not trials), the press and media are now turning their thoughts to the effects on personal and commercial transport not only here in the UK but worldwide.
In the above, Volvo are to distribute the driverless cars to “selected people” who will use them as a replacement to their normal cars in everything they do. In Cumbria the trials of the driverless trucks on the M6 motorway and in towns along the route of the M6 have gone extremely well and the trials are now ready to move into their next “commercial” phase.
Here in the UK the insurance problems in regard to driverless vehicles would now seem to have been resolved. Along with the foregoing, legislation is now passing through Parliament allowing the person in control of a driverless vehicle to sit elsewhere other than the conventional drivers seat. Therefore, everything would seem to be coming into place which will see driverless vehicles becoming a very common sight on Britain’s roads within the next 3 to 4 years and possibly sooner. Other European countries are passing similar legislation to the UK, and no doubt the United States and Australia etc will be similarly on-board. So, what affects will all the above have on transport overall especially the railways.
In the UK the press have been identifying two passenger groups who they feel will be among the first to purchase driverless vehicles on a large scale. Senior pensioners whose advanced years mean that they either dislike driving or have lost their driver’s license through ill health or disability will be in the “first rush to buy”, with business personnel who travel widely in the course of their occupation also it is felt will be joining the initial purchasing group.
Both the above groups are large users of Britain’s passenger railways and would have a serious impact on passenger numbers if alternative transport is used by them. In terms of freight transport, driverless trucks will mean those vehicles can continue operation 24 hours per day (with the exception of fuelling stops) as driver’s hours regulations will no longer have any effect on their running.
So, will the above see the start of another 1950s/60s decline for the world railways, or do they have a continuing future?
Bill
With Volvo announcing that limited numbers of driverless vehicles will be running on the streets of London next year (2017) on an everyday basis (not trials), the press and media are now turning their thoughts to the effects on personal and commercial transport not only here in the UK but worldwide.
In the above, Volvo are to distribute the driverless cars to “selected people” who will use them as a replacement to their normal cars in everything they do. In Cumbria the trials of the driverless trucks on the M6 motorway and in towns along the route of the M6 have gone extremely well and the trials are now ready to move into their next “commercial” phase.
Here in the UK the insurance problems in regard to driverless vehicles would now seem to have been resolved. Along with the foregoing, legislation is now passing through Parliament allowing the person in control of a driverless vehicle to sit elsewhere other than the conventional drivers seat. Therefore, everything would seem to be coming into place which will see driverless vehicles becoming a very common sight on Britain’s roads within the next 3 to 4 years and possibly sooner. Other European countries are passing similar legislation to the UK, and no doubt the United States and Australia etc will be similarly on-board. So, what affects will all the above have on transport overall especially the railways.
In the UK the press have been identifying two passenger groups who they feel will be among the first to purchase driverless vehicles on a large scale. Senior pensioners whose advanced years mean that they either dislike driving or have lost their driver’s license through ill health or disability will be in the “first rush to buy”, with business personnel who travel widely in the course of their occupation also it is felt will be joining the initial purchasing group.
Both the above groups are large users of Britain’s passenger railways and would have a serious impact on passenger numbers if alternative transport is used by them. In terms of freight transport, driverless trucks will mean those vehicles can continue operation 24 hours per day (with the exception of fuelling stops) as driver’s hours regulations will no longer have any effect on their running.
So, will the above see the start of another 1950s/60s decline for the world railways, or do they have a continuing future?
Bill
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