DRIVERLESS

cars could save motorists up to 13 days a year by giving them more free time — the equivalent of about two years in a lifetime, according to a new study by Direct Line insurance.

Nearly a third of drivers say they would use the freed-up time to read, with one in five preferring to sleep, catch up on social media or pay more attention to their family when travelling together.

Only 17 per cent would use the time to work, just ahead of watching TV (16 per cent), while one driver in 14 would do their make-up on the move.

Driverless cars could also help more than 2.8 million baby boomers aged over 55 stay mobile for longer, according to a report by tech firm Bosch. Steffen Hoffmann, the company’s UK president, says: ‘By the time baby boomers reach their 70s and 80s, we expect the driverless car to be quite common on UK roads, allowing this generation to stay mobile safely and so keep their independence for longer.’