The UK Accelerates Its Self-Driving Car Ambitions

The British government announced today that it will allow limited self-driving pilots on UK roads as early as next year. Uber and British AV firm Wayve are gearing up.

Slow and steady. When it comes to autonomous vehicles on city roads, that’s been the approach in most of the world’s countries.

But on Tuesday, the UK announced it would put a cautious foot on the pedal, when the Department of Transport said it would accelerate plans to allow companies to operate self-driving cars on public roads in limited pilot programs starting spring of next year. The British government had initially planned to open up its roads for self-driving vehicles more than a year later, in the second half of 2027.

“We can see what a massive economic opportunity this technology presents,” Transport secretary Heidi ...