Autodrive has just revealed that two large global auto manufacturers are showing interest in running trials in the UK. Tim Armitage of Autodrive said: 'The advantage of the UK right now is it can be done anywhere. It could be a motorway trial, it could be a dual-carriageway, it could be a city-to-city type trial.' The UK is reviewing its Highway Code in order to facilitate trials. In the US, for instance, there are far more limited opportunities available on the highway.

Data privacy

Wragge - a member of this consortium, alongside Jaguar, Ford and Tata Motors - has a very specific role to play. When the consortium was announced, Stuart Young, head of automotive at the firm, said that the firm would be 'reviewing the legal and ethical roadmap, as it were, with a view to issuing White Papers on subjects including data privacy and the development of the law to allow driverless cars'. Other subjects include cyber security and liability - and the first paper is expected in the autumn, once the project formally starts. Eight papers will be issued overall - probably over a period of two years.

Flexible UK approach

Stuart Young believes that the UK - led by a 'really flexible' government approach - is well-placed to be in the front ranks as driverles cars develop. However, he also believes that progress on the laws needs to develop 'continent-wide', and that means working closely with a range of partners including the EU and the United Nations. 

Job creation

Driverless cars is one of the main subject areas of the new title Robotics Law Journal which is inaugurated next month by The Global Legal Post. A recent study from KPMG and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders estimated that 320,000 jobs would be created in the UK in the next 15 years in the driverless vehicle sector.

Birmingham

Wragge has over 1,200 employees located in ten offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its head office is in Birmingham, one of the main locations for the UK motoring industry. Sources: Financial Times, Robotics Law Journal and Wragge