8. 6. Debate by Individual Members under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Future Transport Modes

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:55 pm on 18 October 2017.

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Photo of David Lloyd David Lloyd Plaid Cymru 3:55, 18 October 2017

Exactly right, because we need to have that national network of charging points. Turning to driverless cars, which are one of the biggest technological breakthroughs since the assembly line, companies such as Tesla, Audi, Nissan and Google are spending millions to get driverless cars on the road. You simply climb aboard, set your destination and the electronics do the rest—and this is only a few years away. One of the biggest benefits that driverless cars will offer is mobility to those who currently cannot drive, with clear social benefits in tackling loneliness and isolation as well.

But I return to the fact that we need to plan for all this—how we pay for self-drive cars, buses, delivery vans and the rest. Yes, they should be a public service, I would contend—I agree with Jenny there. And exactly what role the public sector plays in developing a truly integrated transport network—. And what about all those narrow, twisting country lanes in Wales? A special challenge, indeed, for driverless vehicles. Well, not just driverless vehicles, but particularly a challenge for driverless vehicles.

So, to end, there is much to ponder, but the direction of travel, as it were, is clear: in order to protect that fragile 16 km depth of atmosphere that we all depend upon, support the motion. Diolch yn fawr.