The Freight Transport Association (FTA) says this week’s announcement by the Department for Transport (DfT) of a consultation on driverless vehicles is a positive step.

As well as setting out regulatory changes to better facilitate the use of driverless vehicles in the future, the document also restates the potential positives from HGV platooning.  The document notes that platooning should allow HGVs to benefit from reduced aerodynamic drag and therefore increased fuel efficiency. Platooning could also free more road space and improve traffic flow.

FTA Head of National and Regional Policy Christopher Snelling said, “Driver aides and moves towards fuller automation are the most promising routes we have for a step-change in road safety.  The emissions and road use efficiency benefits are also potentially substantial, so updating regulations to enable all these technologies to be developed as quickly as possible is a good move.”

Photo: FTA Head of National and Regional Policy Christopher Snelling

Click here to view DfT’s publication.