Skip to main content

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.

Related Content

  • April 16, 2019
    Trafficware: Digitised transport tech ‘is the new asphalt’

    Trafficware provides the tech to manage intersections all over the world. Colin Sowman asks CEO Jon Newhard about the ‘questions behind the questions’

    Last year, Trafficware CEO Jon Newhard negotiated the company’s acquisition by Cubic Corporation and now serves as general manager of Trafficware within Cubic’s Transportation Systems business unit.

  • November 10, 2015
    Benefits of traffic data sharing with app developers
    Timothy Compston finds out if exchanging traffic and road condition data with private app developers makes sense for both drivers and road authorities. Much has been said about the potential benefits for authorities in sharing data with traffic and navigation app developers, and receiving ‘crowdsourced’ information in return – so how is it working in practice?
  • May 7, 2024
    Tolling Matters: "We want people to share their experiences and not be judged or silenced"
    Wayne Reed of AtkinsRéalis explains why IBTTA's Open Space sessions have the potential to generate great ideas through meaningful discussion - and to have an impact way beyond a 'talking shop'
  • November 27, 2018
    2019 MaaS Market conference announced
    ITS International has announced its 2019 MaaS Market Conference. Under the new tagline of Optimising multimodal mobility, the 2019 event will examine the latest developments in the fast-changing Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) sector. Returning to the Inmarsat Conference Centre in London on 20 and 21 March, the conference will explore the increasing digitisation of transport as a driving factor behind the rise of MaaS, the legislative and technological requirements to operate MaaS and the business models be