Driverless cars will be trialled on UK roads later this year, the government has revealed. The autonomous cars are being developed by researchers at the University of Oxford, where the system has been tested on private roads. The cars will be tested on public roads later this year, according to a Department of Transport report, to let the UK take advantage of its "fantastic opportunity to be at the forefront of these developments".

"Researchers at Oxford University are currently working with Nissan to use this technology to create semi-autonomous cars," the report explained. "These vehicles will have a driver present but are capable of driving fully independently, using knowledge of the environment in which they are driving. Fully autonomous cars remain a further step, and for the time being drivers will have the option (and responsibility) of taking control of the vehicle themselves," it added.

The "RobotCars" used by the university are modified Nissan Leafs, with lasers and cameras rigged to the exterior, and two computers in the boot to handle calculations. Aside from the two main controller computers, the RobotCar uses an iPad for user interaction. If any of the three computers disagree, the car asks the driver to take control. If the driver doesn't respond, the car applies the brakes. The RobotCars would be the first tested on public UK roads, although Google has been trialing its own driverless car in the US since 2011.

What next for driverless cars?
Whether driverless cars are approved for use on UK roads beyond the trial depends "foremost on ensuring public safety and on updating the law to take account of the new technology", the DfT added. The DfT said the government will work with industry and researches to encourage such technologies, saying its "role is to ensure that we can make use of these developments quickly if they prove right for the UK".

You would still need to be in control of it (to be able to override it) hence you would need a valid driving license. I suspect it will be like cruise control or something. If I use the brake or clutch whilst the cruise control is active, it turns off.

Can't come too soon IMO.

Travelling by car is the biggest waste of time if you can do something productive at the same time.

Not sure I'd want to sign off the testing of the software that runs this

If a driverless car crashes into you, whose insurance do you claim on?

Isn't that a bit like saying 'well, we've got a drum machine, who needs drummers?'
Driving can be a joy, on the right road, at the right time, in the right car, and you needn't be doing anything illegal in it.

But 99% of the time it's tedious and your most likely crawling along with slow moving traffic. The majority of driving is done to get from A to B in the shortest possible time. If you are driver you can't do anything else and therefore it is time wasted IMO.