Wayve, Nissan and Uber have joined forces with PAVE UK to support the responsible deployment of self-driving vehicles.
PAVE UK will bring Wayve, Uber and Nissan together to collaborate on scientifically backed public engagement to ensure responsible future deployment of automated vehicles across the country.
Wayve and Uber plan to deploy autonomous vehicles in London this year as part of an initial trial that will further public engagement and understanding of the technology, the companies said.
Established in 2024, PAVE UK serves as one of the UK’s first initiatives in advocating for and delivering inclusive and accurate public education and engagement programmes on self-driving technology.
It was co-founded by the Department for Transport, the Department for Business and Trade, the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), Transport for West Midlands, and Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick.
PAVE UK has engaged with more than 20,000 public members in the self-driving technology journey “through evidence-based and interactive materials and activities”, including a virtual reality self-driving experience, it said.
The body will continue to communicate safety to the general public, including the benefits and limits of this new transport technology, it added.
It will also develop principles of responsible self-driving vehicle deployment – such as the role of safety operators in initial trials – and provide learnings with the UK Government, general public and the wider industry.
Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Director of PAVE UK and Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG, University of Warwick, said:
“At PAVE UK, we believe the public must be at the heart of self-driving technology development. This technology will succeed and fully achieve its societal outcomes of serving the mobility needs of the cities, improving safety and accessibility, only when the public trusts and accepts it.
“We are proud to welcome Wayve, Nissan UK and Uber as the new PAVE UK members. Through this significant partnership, we will open the floor for two-way conversations with the public, bridging the communication gap between the technology and the general public. This demonstrates our collective commitment to enabling safer, publicly endorsed self-driving technology in the UK.”
Sarah Gates, Vice President, Global Affairs, Legal and Assurance, Wayve, said:
“Britain has been a pioneer in transport innovation for centuries, from powering the industrial revolution with canals and trains in the 18th Century, to the world’s first underground railway dating to the Victorian era. Alongside this, the UK has pioneered some of the most important road safety standards globally, including the first traffic light system.
“Introducing autonomous rides in London to the public later this year builds on Britain’s heritage for transport innovation. Getting it right matters and initiatives like PAVE UK are how the industry advances autonomy transparently – educating the public and building the trust that turns a new technology into something people rely on every day.”
David Moss, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Nissan Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) said:
“Nissan is leading the way in unlocking autonomous driving to shape a cleaner, safer and more accessible future. At our technical centre in the UK we are proud of our pioneering projects such as HumanDrive, ServCity and evolvAD that show the exciting real world potential of autonomous driving. Our partnership with PAVE UK is the next step, raising public engagement and trust so that people are ready to embrace this fantastic technology as it becomes reality.”
Alex Zelubowski, UK Head of Autonomous Mobility Operations, Uber, said:
“At Uber, safety is front and centre of everything we do. Communities and cities have to be part of the conversation from the start if we’re going to realise the long-term benefits of autonomous technology. This collaboration with PAVE UK is an important step in bringing AVs to London’s streets safely and responsibly.”
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
