With a keen focus on both autonomous and electric vehicles, we watched today’s Queen Speech with interest as Her Majesty announced an Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill.

Here are a few initial thoughts from Productiv on the potential impact of the bill:

Autonomous Vehicles:

It’s likely that the biggest hurdles to the adoption of autonomous vehicles will be legislative rather than technical, so it is useful that the situation regarding insurance has been clarified.

This should help to reduce uncertainty among investors and developers of self-driving technology.

Electric Vehicles:

Vehicle charging infrastructure is recognised as a key driver of electric vehicle adoption, and this move will encourage those who are concerned about the availability of charge points at key locations on their journey.

Business models will need to deliver ease of use for drivers, and incentives for providers, to ensure charging points are correctly maintained.

What the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill covers:

• Extends compulsory motor vehicle insurance to cover the use of automated vehicles, to ensure compensation claims continue to be paid quickly, fairly and easily, in line with longstanding insurance practice
• Allows the government to require the installation of charge points for electric vehicles at motorway service areas and large fuel retailers, and to require a set of common technical and operational standards. This will ensure charge points are convenient to access and work seamlessly right across the UK
• These provisions would apply to England, Wales and Scotland