Independent UK law firm Burges Salmon and insurer AXA have supported the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Connected and Automated Mobility, launched on Wednesday 27 January 2021 to promote and support the safe deployment of self-driving technologies on UK roads and to ensure that the UK continues its pioneering work in this arena.
Its Chair, Ben Everitt, is the MP for Milton Keynes North, a leading hub for the testing and trialling of many transport innovations, from connected vehicles to e-scooters. Its Vice-Chair, Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, served as a member of the Transport Select Committee and as a Minister at the Department for Transport.
The APPG on Connected and Automated Mobility will work closely with parliament to advise on how connected and self-driving technologies can be deployed effectively and safely across the UK. It will leverage collective expertise to address issues related to investment, regulation, data and consumer education:
- Funding must continue. The UK is recognised as a global leader in CAM, largely due to the £400 million invested by government and industry in recent years. Any slowing of investment now will result in the UK importing this technology as a tech taker rather than a tech maker.
- Safety is paramount. The underpinning legal and regulatory framework must be fit for purpose. The Group will be informed by and will build upon the world-leading work currently being undertaken by the Law Commission of England & Wales and the Scottish Law Commission as part of their three-year review of the legal framework for automated vehicles.
- Access to data is needed. Creating data standards and enabling data sharing is integral to protecting safety while harnessing the benefits of CAM on UK roads. This is fundamental to ensuring the connectivity and ultimately the success of CAM.
- Consumer education is crucial. Government, road safety agencies, charities and the relevant industry stakeholders must engage in open and collaborative dialogue to explore the societal and economic benefits of CAM.
MP Ben Everitt comments: “I am delighted to be coming together with parliamentary colleagues from across the political spectrum to lead the conversation on how we can effectively and safely deploy self-driving vehicles on the UK’s roads. I believe that new modes of automated mobility have great potential to improve road safety and provide new transport options for people right across society. If the UK can cement its status as a world leader in these technologies, that will also bring significant economic rewards.
“My own constituency in Milton Keynes has emerged as a leading hub for testing and trialling many transport innovations, from connected vehicles to e-scooters. This group will bring together industry experts, academics and policymakers to advise on how we can build on the great progress made to date and ensure that the whole country is able to benefit from these innovative technologies.”
On the launch, Burges Salmon director Lucy Pegler says: “There is significant potential for CAM technology to improve road safety and for the UK to lead the way in the global market, so we’re very pleased to be supporting the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Connected and Automated Mobility alongside AXA.”