<p>Autonomous Cars</p>

1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd on 29 March 2017.

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Photo of Russell George Russell George Conservative

(Translated)

7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the use of autonomous cars in mid Wales? OAQ(5)0146(EI)

Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 2:20, 29 March 2017

Yes. Current legislation permits the testing of autonomous vehicles across the UK. We recognise the potential that autonomous vehicles may have in improving road safety across the country and we’re maintaining a watching brief.

Photo of Russell George Russell George Conservative 2:21, 29 March 2017

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Well, driverless cars may eventually, of course, make an appearance on mid Wales’s roads in increasing numbers. As a result, what assessment has your department made of the use of autonomous cars, especially on minor roads and single-track roads, and especially in the circumstances where one of them requires you to decide who should reverse?

Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour

I’ve not reached the point of determining who is responsible for reversing. [Laughter.] But what we have been assessing is the potential of installing designated autonomous vehicle lanes on major trunk roads. I think this would give us an opportunity to capture a greater degree of investment in this particularly important sector of the automotive economy. Such investment is costly; it’s not inconsiderable, but it would give us an opportunity, for example, to test autonomous vehicles in a very safe way, including their ability to reverse when they meet head-on with other autonomous vehicles.

Photo of Elin Jones Elin Jones Plaid Cymru 2:22, 29 March 2017

(Translated)

Thank you Cabinet Secretary.