Engineers respond to driverless shuttle bus launch

Philippa Oldham, Head of Manufacturing and Transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said in response to news of the launch of a new driverless shuttle bus in Greenwich:

“This new shuttle bus is exciting news for London and the UK more generally. This trial has been set up to engage with the public, seeking their views on what they would like from this new mode of transport in terms of its look, feel and accessibility. Addressing how comfortable they are travelling in a vehicle that ultimately will not have a driver.

“The benefits of driverless vehicle technology are huge as it could lead to fewer accidents. Statistics tell us that 95 per cent of vehicle accidents are the result of human error so it makes sense to look at how we can use this new technology to help save lives.

“If we truly want the UK to become a world leader of driverless vehicle technology we need to get communities on-side and championing projects like this is a step in the right direction.

“We hope that this Greenwich project is the start of many more driverless trials around the UK and encourage the public to get involved.”