Platoons of driverless lorries to be tested on British motorways

A stretch of the M6 near Carlisle could soon be a test route for tight convoys of driverless lorries, with Chancellor George Osborne expected to announce funding for the trials in next week’s Budget.

These ‘platoons’ would comprise a group of lorries moving together, with only the front vehicle being controlled by a driver and the rest being driven autonomously.

This technique reduces the air resistance experienced by the lorries, and could lead to significant savings in fuel.