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.
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.
The Sainsbury's company is testing a system to eliminate all food wastage in one of its supermarkets. Having donated part of its foodstuffs, the rest is recycled to cover the store's energy needs.
To remove difficult-to-dislodge dust mites from bedding, LG has designed the Bedding Cleaner vacuum cleaner. With its double filter and U.V lamp, it filters the air in beds, cushions and mattresses whilst removing germs and dust mites.
