Fleet Industry Manifesto success as new policy unit for driverless cars to mirror OLEV

The creation of a cross-departmental approach to intelligent mobility, called for in the Fleet Industry Manifesto, has been adopted by the Government.

The new joint policy unit has been established by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)

Called the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (C-CAV), it will co-ordinate Government policy on driverless cars and connected technology.

C-CAV is currently working on a range of new technological developments, including plans to test new roadside communication technology to improve traffic flow and safety through ‘connected corridors’. This would pilot technology that will provide drivers with useful journey and safety information.

Transport minister Andrew Jones said: “The UK is in the best position when it comes to testing driverless cars and embracing the motoring of the future. We now look forward to working with industry to make this a reality.”

The Fleet Industry Manifesto was launched at the House of Lords by Fleet News, fleet representative body ACFO and the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) to MPs representing the three main political parties prior to the general election (fleetnews.co.uk, December 24, 2014).

The report, the culmination of an eight-month project, called on the Government to tackle a number of important issues facing the fleet and leasing sector, including tax, red tape, safety and road infrastructure.

Policy measures, such as a more consistent approach for road funding allowing long-term infrastructure planning post-election, have already been met, as has greater support for car clubs and mobility services.

However, this latest announcement on creating a joint policy unit, which aims to mirror the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), marks yet another success for the Fleet Industry Manifesto, which called on the Government to follow the blueprint of OLEV in creating a similar structure to pursue the benefits of intelligent mobility and its response proves it has listened to the fleet industry.

“The decision to set up a dedicated Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles is vindication of the BVRLA’s pleas for more joined-up thinking in Government,” said Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the BVRLA.

“Our Fleet Industry Manifesto called for the creation of a cross-departmental team to work on Intelligent Mobility. We sent the Manifesto to the policy teams of all three major political parties, and met with departmental advisors within BIS and the DfT to give them hard copies.

“By giving evidence to the Transport Select Committee’s Motoring of the Future report, and sitting on the Automotive Council’s Intelligent Mobility Working Group, we have promoted the fleet industry’s vital role in this area.

“Our members are early adopters of connected vehicles and new automotive technology, so we look forward to our meeting with the C-CAV later this year.”

The announcement of a new joint policy unit came with the news that the Government has launched a £20 million competitive fund for collaborative research and development into driverless vehicles.

The measures, announced by Jones and business secretary Sajid Javid, aim to put the UK at the forefront of the intelligent mobility market, expected to be worth £900 billion by 2025.