Driverless cars get the Green light by the UK Government

The UK is to encourage the development of driverless cars on its roads, it was announced on Wednesday, with a multimillion-pound research fund and a review into the relevant laws around road safety.

The business secretary, Vince Cable, said a £10m fund will be made available for driverless car researchers in the UK, joint funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Bis) and the Department for Transport (DfT).

“The excellence of our scientists and engineers has established the UK as pioneers in the development of driverless vehicles through pilot projects,” said Cable. “Today’s announcement will see driverless cars take to our streets in less than six months, putting us at the forefront of this transformational technology and opening up new opportunities for our economy and society.”

Fully autonomous and driver-equipped

The DfT will also kick off a review process of the laws governing road use, including the Highway Code and the Road Safety Act, to permit the testing of driverless cars on public roads, Cable said while visiting the technology and engineering company Mira in Nuneaton.

Two types of testing will be reviewed for public roads: fully autonomous cars without a driver, and those with a qualified driver who could take control at any time, similar to laws in the US where driverless cars have been tested on public roads since 2011 in some states.

The review process will conclude in a report submitted to government by the end of 2014, a spokesperson for DfT told the Guardian.

Research groups to apply for government money

The £10m fund will be governed by the UK’s innovation agency the Technology Strategy Board.

Interested local research institutions will be able to apply for funding by submitting a business case paired with a local city or authority as to why driverless cars are a viable transport solution in their area.

Three cities across the UK will be selected to host driverless car trials from next year, with each test to last between 18 and 36 months starting in January 2015. The deadline for driverless car research applications will be 1 October.

The fund was first announced by the chancellor, George Osborne, in December as part of the national infrastructure plan.

‘A big leap of faith needed by drivers’

The UK has various groups already working on driverless car technology, including engineers at the University of Oxford and engineering firm Mira, which provides autonomous vehicle technology to the military and has been testing driverless cars on a 850 acre site in the Midlands.

“Today’s announcement takes us closer to seeing fully autonomous vehicles on our roads but it will take some time for them to become commonplace,” said Edmund King president of the AA.

“Cars are becoming more automated with the introduction of assistance systems to aid parking; keeping a safe distance from the car in front; or lane departure warning systems,” said David Bruce, director of AA Cars.

“However, there is a big leap of faith needed by drivers from embracing assistance systems to accepting the fully automated car. Two-thirds of AA members still enjoy driving too much to want a fully automated car,” Bruce said.

‘Britain brilliantly placed to lead the world’

“Driverless cars have huge potential to transform the UK’s transport network – they could improve safety, reduce congestion and lower emissions, particularly CO2,” said the transport minister, Claire Perry, who committed to the regulatory review of road law.

“Britain is brilliantly placed to lead the world in driverless technology,” said the science minister, Greg Clark. “It combines our strengths in cars, satellites, big data and urban design; with huge potential benefits for future jobs and for the consumer.”

Driverless cars are expected to begin being tested on public roads in 2015, although the DfT could not provide a timescale beyond report submission to the government by the end of 2014.

“This competition for funding has the potential to establish the UK as the global hub for the development and testing of driverless vehicles in real-world urban environments, helping to deepen our understanding of the impact on road users and wider society,” said Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board.

“The ability to test driverless cars at scale, when married to the UK’s unique strengths in transport technologies and urban planning, will also attract further investment, helping to establish new design and manufacturing supply chains, driving forward UK economic growth,” Gray said.

Dr Geoff Davis, chief commercial and technical officer of Mira said he welcomed the news.

“Our 10 years of experience developing driverless car solutions with successful applications in defence and security as well as cooperative systems in road transport applications means we are already working on a number of projects that explore the potential of connected and cooperative driverless cars,” Davis said.

Liverpool Bus Lanes

Evolution driving school can confirm that Mayor Joe Anderson has suspended the bus lanes in Liverpool until November 2014.

The suspension still only affects bus lanes which are in Liverpool borough council. Other Merseyside regions such as Sefton, Knowsley and Wirral will still have active bus lanes which are still in operation. So when you're driving within the Meseyside region don't forget to look well ahead for signs on the opproach to a bus lane to ascertain if it is active or not.

Bus Lanes being removed on Kensington.

A nine-month trial was due to end on July 28 but due to the amount of road works taking place in the city centre the council has decided to continue the suspension until November to allow them to collect more data.

The suspension was introduced by the Mayor to improve traffic flow in the city back in October, but the idea has come under fire from bus company Arriva and The Green Party who argued that bus lanes do work in the city centre.

Arriva started an online petition to try to secure the future of the bus lanes and bus companies and taxi operators have experienced problems with congestion on Saturdays in front of Lime Street since the lanes were axed.

Mayor Anderson said: "We've had an excessive amount of road works in the city centre over the past few months.

"We wanted to get a better and clearer picture of what effect the suspension is having so we have decided to extend the project.

"The whole point of doing a review is to find out what works and doesn't work and we can't do that without having the right data.

"There has been lots of roadworks taking place in traffic filled areas such as Smithdown Road and various other locations and we don't want it to be unclear if it is the roadworks or the bus lane suspension making the difference.

"We need more evidence and a clear picture before we make any big decisions.

"We need to make sure it's done properly and that the results are not tainted in any way."

Tom Crone, Green Party councillor for St Michaels ward said: “We’ve consistently been in favour of bus lanes. Lots of countries all over Europe have bus lanes and are increasing them rather than scrapping them so we have always struggled to understand this decision.

“We want the mayor to show us the data that he already has because an FOI request has shown that the mayor knew some bus lanes were working before he implemented this blanket ban and we want to know what he’s found out since.

“We need to start getting this data out in the open so rather than carrying on this all-out ban we can start reinstating the vital bus lanes that do work and improving commuters lives as a result.

Liverpool Bus Lanes

Evolution driving school can confirm that Mayor Joe Anderson has suspended the bus lanes in Liverpool until November 2014.

The suspension still only affects bus lanes which are in Liverpool borough council. Other Merseyside regions such as Sefton, Knowsley and Wirral will still have active bus lanes which are still in operation. So when you're driving within the Meseyside region don't forget to look well ahead for signs on the opproach to a bus lane to ascertain if it is active or not.

Bus Lanes being removed on Kensington.

A nine-month trial was due to end on July 28 but due to the amount of road works taking place in the city centre the council has decided to continue the suspension until November to allow them to collect more data.

The suspension was introduced by the Mayor to improve traffic flow in the city back in October, but the idea has come under fire from bus company Arriva and The Green Party who argued that bus lanes do work in the city centre.

Arriva started an online petition to try to secure the future of the bus lanes and bus companies and taxi operators have experienced problems with congestion on Saturdays in front of Lime Street since the lanes were axed.

Mayor Anderson said: "We've had an excessive amount of road works in the city centre over the past few months.

"We wanted to get a better and clearer picture of what effect the suspension is having so we have decided to extend the project.

"The whole point of doing a review is to find out what works and doesn't work and we can't do that without having the right data.

"There has been lots of roadworks taking place in traffic filled areas such as Smithdown Road and various other locations and we don't want it to be unclear if it is the roadworks or the bus lane suspension making the difference.

"We need more evidence and a clear picture before we make any big decisions.

"We need to make sure it's done properly and that the results are not tainted in any way."

Tom Crone, Green Party councillor for St Michaels ward said: “We’ve consistently been in favour of bus lanes. Lots of countries all over Europe have bus lanes and are increasing them rather than scrapping them so we have always struggled to understand this decision.

“We want the mayor to show us the data that he already has because an FOI request has shown that the mayor knew some bus lanes were working before he implemented this blanket ban and we want to know what he’s found out since.

“We need to start getting this data out in the open so rather than carrying on this all-out ban we can start reinstating the vital bus lanes that do work and improving commuters lives as a result.

A guide for anyone taking driving lessons without a driving instructor.

 

Step one: the car

Make sure the car has a valid MOT and is insured for the person who'll be driving the vehicle. Before you begin you maybe best doing a couple of vehicle checks such as tyres, lights and the instruments within the vehicle are all in full working order. The car should also have an L plate on the front and the rear of the vehicle too. It's always worth having a set of spare L plates just incase you loose any from outside the car on the journey!

Step two: the person supervising you.

The person supervising you doesn't need to be insured to drive the tuition vehicle, although It maybe a good idea go have them covered as they maybe needed to drive the vehicle for you at some point. A legal requirement for them to supervise you will be that they're over the age of 21 and that they have held their driving licence for three years or longer.

 

Step three: route planning 

The person sat next you may not have experience of teaching people to drive so it maybe best to have idea of where you're heading towards. This can then help you to plan your MSM routine more affectively when driving to your destination. Also try to make sure the roads you'll be driving on are suitable for your level of experience and also make sure you don't use any motorways as it'll invalidate your insurance if you do so!

Step four: patience

Try to stay calm with each other, don't look for someone to blame if things don't go well. You may find your performance may dip slightly until you feel a little more comfortable with the change of vehicle and person teaching you to drive.

Step five: Aims

Try to work on the things you need to improve on. keep a record of what you've covered on all your tuition as it'll help you to remember what areas you may need to be develop. Watch out for bad habits creeping in. If you or the person supervising you are unsure of something that cropped up on the lesson keep a record of it and ask your driving instructor to advise you  about it when you next see him or her. 

Driving lessons in Liverpool - how a lesson should be structured.

Hi my name is paul roach and I have been providing driving lessons in Liverpool for ten years. In my experience I have found some driving instructors are failing their students by providing inadequate driving lessons. This will happen if he/she doesn't structure the session correctly! If you have any doubts over the quality of the tuition you're paying for, or you're a little curious on what to expect before learning to drive? Then have a look below as it may save your time and money once you have a better understanding of what to expect from your driving instructor! 

 

Step one: Goals and aims on your driving lesson.

At the beginning of your driving lesson your driving instructor should lay a clear goal for you to aim for. The is no guarantee that'll you'll achieve your goal on that session but by communicating it with you - it'll give you a clear insight into what your strengths and weaknesses are at that present time. It'll also help you to understand where improvements need to be made! A poorly planned driving lesson may involve someone saying to you "we'll have a drive around today and see what happens!"

Step two: Planning of the driving lesson.

When planning a driving lesson a driving instructor should take into account your level of experience. The session should be planned to maximise your learning potential. Your trainer will need to make sure the goals that have been set at the beginning of the session are ones that you can achieve and are not too easy or too hard for your level of experience. Most quality driving instructors will have an on-going record of what was covered on each lesson. Without having this information stored it is more than likely he/she will be second guessing what will need to be covered on your next lesson.

The route you take throughout the session is vital too. If you deal with junctions which are too complicated for your ability it could demoralise your confidence - when you feel like you're loosing control. The opposite should also be avoided too - as it may give you a false sense of security and could make you think that your driving is better than what it really is.

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Step three: Level of instruction or how much help do you need?

Whilst taking your driving lessons your driving instructor should make sure they're setting their level of instruction to suit your ability. In a nutshell this is how your trainer assess your ability and assess how much help is needed for a particular aspect of your driving. A good driving instructor will know what you can do on your own and will know where help is needed. At the beginning of the lesson the foundation should already be set with a rough outline on what you'll need help with and what you don't! 

If it's your first lesson and you have previous experience then you may find that the lesson will be structured more in a direction which will assess your driving. A goal can still be set at the beginning of the driving lesson - but do be prepared for the goal to be switched once your driving has been assessed more thoroughly.

Step four:  Patience

You and your driving instructor should always try and remain patient. I know this is a cliche but everyone is individual when learning to drive. Some people can get frustrated quite easily when they make a mistake. The role of a driving instructor should be to support and encourage  you with both your ups and downs. You should never be made to feel inferior because you haven't picked up something as quick as what you or driving instructor expected.

Step five: Feedback

At the end of the session you should receive feedback on how the driving lesson went. You was there too so your driving instructor should ask you some questions about how you felt your performed was. It's a good idea to scale your performance as it may help you to identify want went well and what may need to be recapped on your next lesson. 

Also a lot of people do get very nervous and anxious when they first start learning to drive. So a few questions from your driving instructor will help him/her understand how to plan your future sessions. Then hopefully this should help you to overcome any fears that you may have.

 

Plans to cut the cost of the driving theory test

Learner drivers in Liverpool could save around 25% on the cost of their theory test in october this year due to announcements made recently by the DVSA.

The proposals, which could save learner drivers over £100 million over the next nine years, are contained in a public consultation on changes to theory test fees. The consultation is set to run until 15 May.

 

 

 

 

If the plans go ahead, the cost of a car driving theory test would fall by £6 in October this year, reducing the price from £31 to £25, with a further drop of £2 planned for October 2015.

Transport Minister, Stephen Hammond, said: "We are determined to keep motoring costs down, so we want to make sure theory tests offer the best value for money while continuing to meet rigorous standards.

"The theory test plays a vital role in making sure that new drivers know the Highway Code and the rules of the road. Today's announcement demonstrates our commitment to providing value for money services that help to keep our roads among the safest in the world."

The consultation is in line with the government's plans to reduce the cost of motoring which so far includes a cap on the maximum price of MOTs at £54.85 until 2015 and an extension of the fuel duty freeze until spring 2015.

DVSA chief executive, Alastair Peoples, said: "By agreeing new contract arrangements for the delivery of theory tests we have secured significant cost savings, and it is right that we pass these savings on to our customers."

Intensive driving courses v's weekly driving lessons in Liverpool.

Hi, my name is Paul Roach and I work as a driving instructor for Evolution Driving School in Liverpool.

Over time I have helped people to learn how to drive in a timeframe they're happy with. Whether it's taking one hour lessons each week or doing an intensive course of driving lessons in a very short space of time.



PERCEPTION

A lot of people think an intensive driving course is a 'crash course' in learning how to drive and the course of driving lessons have to be taken over a week with a complete beginner.

The reality is, the vast majority of courses we operate at Evolution Driving School are with people who already have some driving experience and it's very rare they want to complete the course in a week.

This is not to say a complete beginner wouldn't be able to learn how to drive in a week!



STRUCTURE

My advice to a complete beginner  would be to avoid trying to learn how to drive in a week. The reason for this is I don't think the amount of time needed per day would be an ideal environment to learn how to drive in.

Statistics released by the DSA shows on average a learner driver may need around 40 hours of driving tuition in order to have a good chance of passing a driving test. To structure this course of driving lessons over 5 days would take on average around 8 hours per day.

Finding the balance can be quite important to make sure your course is structured to maximise your learning potential. We would generally recommend an assessment driving lesson should be taken before you book a course. This  will help you to understand if your body and mind can cope with the intensity of the course.

 

HOW DO PEOPLE LEARN BEST?

This is something that is different to each individual and best answered by yourself. Going from my own experience - I have found spending an hour a week trying to learn a subject is not enough time. If I try to learn like this I find myself forgetting a lot of stuff I had previously learnt the week before.

The flip side to this is spending too much time on a subject. This can sometimes leave me feeling frustrated and tired too.
 

 

 

MYTHS

There are some people that will have you believe that anyone who takes weekly driving lessons will be safer drivers after passing a driving test compared to individuals who have taken an intensive course of driving lessons.

 

This is not true and there is no research to support these claims. Every driving instructor will have their own theory on what is the optimum amount of time to learn how to drive in. Until there is research highlighting the pros and cons of how a course of driving lessons should be structured, then this debate will remain a subjective one

 

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CONCLUSION

Learning any subject in a short space of time will obviously not be ideal for everyone. But we need to allow people to have the freedom to choose how they would like to learn. A course should be tailored to fit the individual's needs by giving them the very best chance to achieve their goals within a timeframe they and their tutor believe is achievable