WHILE it might sound like the stuff of science fiction, hopping into a self-driving taxi at Jersey Airport could be a reality in the near future… if the government updates the law.
Digital Jersey head Tony Moretta is urging politicians to continue work to introduce legislation around driverless and self-driving cars – or risk falling behind the curve.
He spoke to the JEP as the leading automotive trade body called on UK lawmakers not to trail rival markets when it comes to updating legislation on autonomous cars.
The Automated Vehicles Bill, which creates a set of laws for using autonomous vehicles, was tabled in the UK Parliament in November and will undergo further scrutiny this spring.
But should the legislation be delayed until after the general election, the bill could be passed no earlier than 2030, which would put the UK at a “significant disadvantage”, the trade body said.
Automated vehicle technology, including self-driving cars and buses, is already being pioneered in several countries around the world, including the US, Germany and France – with the relevant regulatory frameworks also in place.
In October, the JEP reported that Jersey’s government was “in the very early stages” of research into the law changes that might be required in the event that automated vehicles are eventually trialled or introduced in the Island.
Currently, Jersey’s road-traffic legislation – drafted in 1956 – does not support complete driver autonomy and the head of roads policing previously said that “a complete overhaul of our road-traffic law” would be required.
However, when contacted last week by the JEP, the government said there was no update – and the new Council of Ministers has made no indication that it intended to carry on work begun by previous ministers.
Mr Moretta said it would be unwise to press the brake pedal on this work, adding: “Legislation is the underpinnings of what the government wants to do later on – by moving ahead and introducing those rules and regulations now, it gives us the flexibility over what we do down the line.
“If someone comes forward with a great proposition for driverless taxis in January 2025, for example, we don’t want to then take 18 months to review our laws when we could have already done that.
“Building foundations for initiatives we might want to roll out in the future is always a good idea. It doesn’t force you to use them, but it allows you to, and that’s important.”
Mr Moretta said: “It doesn’t do any harm being prepared, doing the necessary reviews, finding out what laws need to be changed. If we catch up on that, and if opportunities come up, we can then move quickly.”
He said that Jersey’s government could be “a bit more nimble and agile in changing our laws and allowing initiatives to be rolled out” than the UK – and the Island could serve as a “great sandbox” for this technology.
He added that giving this legislation the green light would help the government achieve its pledge to increase the Island’s productivity through the use of technology.
Driverless or self-driving vehicles could be used for the town link bus, shuttle services between town and the Airport – and even taxi services, Mr Moretta said.
“Frankly it’s embarrassing when tourists or businesses land at the Airport and can’t find a taxi, which isn’t the fault of the taxi industry, but the fact that they can’t find enough drivers.
“Driverless taxi services in the Island could increase availability, create a better service for Islanders and tourists, without needing more people.
“This stuff isn’t science fiction, it is already happening around the world – why shouldn’t we take advantage of it too?”
