Jeremy Clarkson Says He Was 'Almost Killed' At The Wheel Of Driverless Car
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The idea of sitting in a driverless car is still a terrifying prospect if they're not set up to work perfectly, particularly if one of the UK's leading gearheads isn't a fan.
That's right - Jeremy Clarkson has warned that he could have been killed by the new tech innovation, despite the fact the UK government is about to allow driverless cars to be tested on UK roads. Looks like this can only end well.
Credit: PA
The former presenter of BBC motoring show Top Gear said he was left fearing for his life as he tested out a driverless car which made two dreadful mistakes within the space of 50 miles.
"I drove a car the other day which has a claim of autonomous capability and twice in the space of 50 miles on the M4 it made a mistake, a huge mistake, which could have resulted in death," Clarkson wrote in the Sunday Times magazine today.
"We have to be very careful legally, so I'm not going to say which one."
According to Clarkson, the technology is nowhere near developed or safe enough to be let loose on Britain's roads, warning readers: "For now, we're miles away from it."
The article by Clarkson, now host of Amazon Video's show The Grand Tour, comes at a bad time for the government as it prepares to give the green light to the growing 'autonomous car' industry.
The UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond is currently planning to allow developers to test driverless cars on UK roads for the first time. Might need to put that one on the back-burner, Phil.
It is the government's aim to see driverless cars made legal in the UK by 2021 as it hopes to boost an industry expected to provide 27,000 jobs and be worth a whopping £28bn ($37bn) by 2035. Audi already plan to sell advanced autonomous cars as soon as next year.
"You drive one of your driverless cars over the Death Road in Bolivia and I'll buy one," Clarkson said. Don't sit on the fence, Jezza.
"Sit there with your hands folded and let it drive you up there, then squeeze past a lorry with half the tyre hanging over a 1,000ft drop while the car drives itself. Fine, I'll buy into it."
The UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond. Credit: PA
As part of his latest budget - which he is set to present to parliament on Wednesday 22 November - Hammond is also expected to shell out multi-million pound investments in artificial intelligent (AI) and 5G mobile networks to improve the country's productivity.
It is hoped that all these measures will help propel the UK to the forefront of technology. Let's just hope it doesn't end up being the death of us all.
Source: The Independent
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: News, UK government, Technology, Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear, Cars
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