Driverless cars worry 'business drivers'

The British government has backed the testing of driverless cars, prompting more than half of "business drivers" to fear for their jobs.

Business drivers in the UK are worried they will be replaced by driverless cars, as trials of the technology continue on UK roads.

More than half of drivers (55 per cent) aged 25 to 34 have told a survey by business fleet software firm Masternaut that they're concerned they'll be replaced during their lifetime by an autonomous vehicle.

Car-sharing service Uber has already opened a research centre in the US that could eventually produce driverless versions of their private taxi service, and tech giant Google is rumoured to be considering its own driverless taxi service.

In the UK, the first government-backed trials are under way, with self-driving modes of transport being tested on roads in the localities of Greenwich, Milton Keynes and Coventry.

Steve Lowe, UK managing director of Masternaut, says it's important that, to get the true picture on the future of driverless cars, the potential impact on the "business driver" is considered.

"We haven't heard a great deal from professional drivers on how driverless car technology could affect them in the future, which is something that needs to be taken into consideration," Lowe said.

Some of the world's biggest car companies are also starting to use self-driving vehicles, with the likes of Tesla, BMW, Audi and Mercedes all showing off versions of driverless cars at recent trade shows.

There are also rumours Apple is piloting a scheme of its own.

Earlier this week the company's chief, Tim Cook, told a media event that "every major car manufacturer" had now signed up to use Apple's CarPlay, which integrates features like voice-assistant Siri into a car's system.


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Source: AAP



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