There are many benefits to using driverless cars in urban areas: reducing traffic congestion, accidents, environmental pollution... We've seen them already in some cities or airports, used for public transportation or transit shuttles. But in these cases, they run on dedicated tracks and therefore involve heavy structural works. Naturally, the next step is to design an automated car able to run on the streets. Many prototypes have been and are currently in development, including in the UK with this £8m project called GATEway (Greenwich Automated Transport Environment), funded by industry and government agency Innovate UK.
Different designs have been seen here and there but it seems that the GATEway teams are working on an improved version of Heathrow Airport pods, suitable for use on road without the need of tracks. Seven driverless cars will be trialled in Greenwich this summer, from July to September. During those three months, invited users will test the vehicles, each pod carrying 6 people, one of them being officially in charge of pressing the emergency button in case of problem. If the trial goes according to GATEway's wishes, the seven vehicles will then be made available to the public.
Photo: Digital Greenwich
News in the same category
If you own a recent Apple mobile device, you can now use it as a payment method in the UK. It's easy, fast and completely secure.
Manchester drivers can look forward to a new way to buy their next car with the announcement that Rockar is to open a new outlet in the Arnedale Centre. A planning application for the store is currently with Manchester City Council.
Recently presented in Germany, the prototype of the future Hello Barbie is already controversial. Nicknamed “Stasi Barbie”, Mattel’s new connected doll could soon know more about children than their own parents.
Cyber-security might be fun, after all! Emojis are to update our good old four-digit codes, thanks to Intelligent Environments, a British technology company.
