How to keep mobile when old age strikes – buy a self-driving car

THEY’RE not usually the target audience for the latest high-tech gadgets.

But the elderly could be the ones to benefit most from one new technology – self-driving cars.

Older generations, as well as the disabled, will see their lives transformed by the vehicles, according to the Transport Secretary.

The first driverless cars are expected to be on Britain’s roads by 2021. Many people, especially the elderly, may be sceptical about the prospect of self-driving cars.

But in a speech today, Chris Grayling will discuss their benefits to society, saying: ‘We’ve seen nothing in our lifetimes that can compare with the motoring revolution that’s just around the corner. ... The potential benefits of these new technologies for human mobility are tremendously exciting. Many who can’t currently drive will be able to take to the road. Elderly people or people with disabilities which prevent them from travelling today will discover a new sense of freedom and independence.’

Nearly a third of the population will be over 60 by 2030 and people with mobility difficulties are far less likely to drive.

In his speech at the Association of British Insurers’ conference in London, Mr Grayling will lay out ambitions for Britain to lead the ‘automated vehicle revolution’. The Government estimates driverless cars could be worth £28billion to the economy by 2035.

It has also been claimed driverless cars will make the roads safer, with 85 per cent of accidents last year caused by human error. It is hoped this will also help push down insurance premiums. Many of the world’s biggest car makers and tech giants, including Ford, Nissan and Google, are rushing to develop fully automated vehicles. Trials of such cars have been held in Milton Keynes and near the Millennium Dome in London.

A bill which would allow driverless cars on Britain’s roads and set out how insurance for them would work is currently making its way through Parliament. One sticking points is who is liable if there is an accident – the car’s owner or the manufacturer.

Ministers want makers rather than owners to be blamed if faulty technology causes a crash. But insurance firms are calling for more clarity on what counts as an automated car. Some vehicles already have some form of automation such as cruise control.

Ben Howarth, of the ABI, warned there will ‘inevitably be a transition period’ with partially automated cars which could cause confusion for drivers who think their vehicles are capable of more than they really are.