Autonomous vehicle developers ‘must counter terrorist potential’

Vehicle developers will have to introduce measures to counter the potential use of autonomous vehicle by terrorists, according to Iain Forbes, head of the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Replying to a question from ITS International during a panel session at the Driverless Technology Conference in London, Forbes said: “Security questions will be an important part of the debate about autonomous vehicles. I think that it would be amiss of any government to enable something tha
December 1, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Vehicle developers will have to introduce measures to counter the potential use of autonomous vehicle by terrorists, according to Iain Forbes, head of the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

Replying to a question from 1846 ITS International during a panel session at the Driverless Technology Conference in London, Forbes said: “Security questions will be an important part of the debate about autonomous vehicles. I think that it would be amiss of any government to enable something that might introduce new risks to society.”

Speaking so soon after the attacks in Paris he said the question was very relevant: “It is something that will have to be resolved.” However he added that he did not think it was an insurmountable problem: “We identify potential risks and find ways to deal with them.”

Joost Vantomme from FEBiAC (which represents the Belgian car industry) observed that the question applied equally to drones: “The need for regulation of drones is a topic of discussion in the European Commission and European Parliament,” he said.

Location Based Systems

Related Content

  • December 19, 2024
    Great (shared) mobility expectations
    An invitation to attend Movmi's Shared Mobility Fall Masterclass changed the way Adam Hill looked at micromobility - in particular his own attitude to risk
    Read More
  • April 7, 2017
    Ertico weaves tunnel visions into the ‘big picture’
    As he takes the wheel at Ertico - ITS Europe, Jacob Bangsgaard talks to ITS International about the challenges and opportunities facing the organisation and the ITS industry. Ertico - ITS Europe’s new CEO, Jacob Bangsgaard, is no stranger to the organisation having spent five years there before moving to the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) in 2006. Four years later he became director general of the FIA’s Region I (EMEA), which represents more than 100 mobility clubs, and in 2012 he joined Er
    Read More
  • April 7, 2017
    Ertico weaves tunnel visions into the ‘big picture’
    As he takes the wheel at Ertico - ITS Europe, Jacob Bangsgaard talks to ITS International about the challenges and opportunities facing the organisation and the ITS industry. Ertico - ITS Europe’s new CEO, Jacob Bangsgaard, is no stranger to the organisation having spent five years there before moving to the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) in 2006. Four years later he became director general of the FIA’s Region I (EMEA), which represents more than 100 mobility clubs, and in 2012 he joined Er
    Read More
  • December 16, 2014
    Kapsch looks to the future
    Colin Sowman reports from a two-day meeting where industry leaders, academics and political advisers presented their thoughts on the future of mobility. Most governments do not dare to introduce tolling systems… they are too frightened.” So said Georg Kapsch in his capacity of chief operating officer of Kapsch TrafficCom, during a forward-looking press event at the company’s headquarters in Vienna.
    Read More

Highlighted Content