Together with a panel of auto industry experts , Matt Freeman , a consultant with HPI believes that rapidly advancing vehicle autonomy could see the demise of the driving test as the need for road skills and driving ability take a back seat .

The debate around customer resistance to the introduction of autonomous vehicles is one which will quickly be overtaken by the roll-out of the technology . With brands showcasing limited self-driving technologies ranging from traffic jam management to highway autopilot , Matt believes we can expect consumer resistance to decline in proportion to peoples ’ experience of the technology . Moreover , the driving test will need to adapt to the rollout of vehicle autonomy to ensure that new drivers are properly prepared for a rapidly changing driving environment .

The Driving Test was first started on British roads eight decades ago on 1st June 1935 , and due to the number of casualties on the roads , early examiners were recruited from the services and Police . In 1935 there were only 1.4m cars on the road – today there are over 38 million in the UK .

The number of driving test entries has fallen in 2018 . Figures from the Department for Transport show that 465,650 people sat practical tests in the first three months of this year ,

Matthew Freeman

down almost 11 per cent on the same period last year . The pass rate also dropped to 45.4 per cent — the lowest level in nine years .

In 2018 , HPI is also celebrating 80 years since it introduced the world ’ s first vehicle history checker .

Since the launch of the original HPI Check in 1938 , the automotive sector has witnessed dynamic change and eight decades on , hpi check has established itself as a market leading tool trusted by millions of UK motorists .

As part of its 80-year anniversary , HPI asked a panel of industry experts consisting of its own editors and motor manufacturers * for their automotive predictions over the next 80 years .

The specialists offered insight across several issues ranging from technology and innovation , vehicle design , fuel , buying and selling vehicles and car crime in a bid to predict how motoring will change beyond all recognition over the next 80 years .

Amongst its findings and predictions , the panel highlighted the following predictions and trends :

• Internet will be standard in all vehicles in the next 5-10 years meaning connectivity to mobiles , work and home appliances will be commonplace

• Cars will be fully connected and synchronised resulting in a significant reduction in road traffic accidents

• Virtual co-pilots will control more of our driving enabling automatic lane changes and parking .

• The next 10-20 years will see autonomous cars completely changing travel with motorists able to work , socialise and even sleep when driving

• Within 10 years there ’ ll be more focus on the interior rather than the exterior of the car with

touch screens , entertainment , refreshments and comfort all incorporated within the design .

• Within 20 years steering wheels will be a thing of the past

• The next five years will see motorists increasingly buying personalised cars online with virtual test drives and home delivery and in 10 years will move from car ownership to ‘ usership ’ with traditional dealers offering leasing and subscription services

The Society of Automotive Engineers ( SAE ) has developed a six-level classification system for autonomous vehicles , and Matt says that once we reach Level 3 the acceptance of vehicle autonomy by the public will begin to gain momentum . At Level 4 the momentum will become unstoppable , and we will start to see radical changes in the way consumers

perceive vehicles . Some brands are already preparing for this .

HPI Check data has identified that there is a one in three chances of uncovering a hidden problem , one in 16 vehicles has a mileage discrepancy , and one in five cars has had a plate change .

The HPI Check protects buyers against making a costly mistake by revealing whether a vehicle is currently recorded as stolen with the police , has outstanding finance against it , or has been written off . It also includes as standard , a mileage check against the National Mileage Register , which has records of over 200 million mileage readings .

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