CAM encompasses vehicles equipped with technology that allows them to drive themselves under certain conditions and connect with each other and infrastructure. This includes passenger cars with automated driving features, automated passenger services, and automated delivery, logistics, and industrial vehicles.
The UK automotive sector has made significant strides in CAM, with government-industry partnerships investing over £600 million in more than 100 CAM projects since 2015. This investment has fostered homegrown CAM capabilities, including technology developers and component suppliers.
Key use cases of CAM technology span a wide range of applications. For passenger cars, features like Automated Lane Keeping Systems are already available in some markets, with the UK government suggesting that 40% of new cars could have automated driving capabilities by 2035. Automated passenger services, such as pods, shuttles, and robotaxis, offer on-demand ride-hailing or scheduled services, while automated delivery vehicles are set to enhance urban and last-mile goods deliveries.
The commercial deployment of “driverless” services on British roads is pending necessary regulatory reforms. However, the existing connectivity in most new cars and vans enables the rollout of services like infotainment and fleet management, with vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication services expected in the future.
The economic impact of CAM is profound, with an estimated additional 342,000 jobs overall in the economy and the potential to save 3,900 lives and prevent 60,000 serious accidents by 2040. The adoption of CAM is expected to begin in earnest in the latter half of this decade, with widespread commercial adoption by the end of the 2030s.
The SMMT report underscores the need for government interventions to realize the socio-economic benefits of CAM, including regulatory reforms, funding support, skills development, and public communications programs.
CAM is not just a technological advancement; it’s a socio-economic catalyst with the promise of enhanced safety, efficiency, and a greener future for the UK’s transportation landscape.
Source: Connected and automated mobility: the uk economic and market opportunities | SMMT
