UK regulation on self-driving cars praised

Documents obtained by the Telegraph have shown that the internet giant Google has met with the UK Department for Transport officials five times in the last two years to discuss self-driving car regulations. The Telegraph has reported that Google has praised the UK as a leading developer of laws regarding such technology.

The reports obtained point to the UK as a key region for the internet giant to attempt to market its driverless cars. The cars are currently being tested in California but it is unclear whether testing will be undertaken in the UK.

The cars are fitted with a 'lidar' sensor that uses laser technology to recognize pedestrians and other vehicles on the road. Google is aiming to make these cars available to the public within the next five years.

Alongside the developments being made by Google, the UK Government has invested millions of pounds into driverless car research and has vowed to change the law so that it is easier for this kind of technology to be adopted in the country.

Sarah Hunter, the Head of Policy for Google X, said in one of the documents that the company felt "very positive" about the approach being taken by the UK regarding driverless cars, and that the UK was in "a good position" for adopting such technology.

She went on to note that the UK "has shown remarkable leadership in this area".

A number of key representatives were present at the meetings, which took place between January 2014 and July 2015. Individuals from the UK Treasury and UK Trade & Investment attended, as did the heads of the Google project.