Autoglass warns of pothole risks to autonomous roll-out

Autoglass has warned of the potential risks of self-driving vehicles driving on UK’s pothole-ridden roads.

The UK government passed the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act earlier this year, paving the way for autonomous vehicles on public roads by 2026.

However, the technology has not yet proven to be safe navigating potholes. It is estimated that there are more than a million potholes on UK roads, with research carried out by Autoglass in 2023 suggesting that 44% of windscreen chips or cracks were caused by these hazards.

Tim Camm, technical training manager at Autoglass, said: “Self-driving vehicles have the potential to have a huge positive impact for UK drivers, not least in improving road safety by cutting down on human error. However, it is essential that steps are taken to fix the huge number of potholes on the UK’s roads before we see the mass uptake of these vehicles.”

Autoglass

Camm continued: “Potholes have long been a nuisance for drivers in the UK, with these bumps in the road causing both damage to vehicles and potential accidents as drivers swerve to avoid them, but they could also pose a significant barrier to the successful roll out of self-driving vehicles.

“These vehicles use sensors to scan the road in front of them for hazards or objects to avoid. The sensors sit on the windscreen, and as potholes sit below the vehicle it is possible the scanners will be unable to spot them. If the sensor does not identify the pothole this would cause issues as the car would not know to slow down or turn to avoid the gap.

“Driving over a pothole at speed could cause significant damage to what will already be expensive vehicles, and would also be dangerous for the passengers inside. It is crucial that the Labour government fulfils its manifesto promise to fund local councils for repairing up to a million potholes annually in England.”

He added:

“There is no doubt that self-driving vehicles have huge potential to transform transport in the UK and bring numerous benefits to businesses and consumers. However, challenges such as the escalating pothole issue demand immediate attention, and collective action from industry stakeholders, local authorities, and government to ensure they remain safe for everyone.”