LONDON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Britain is set to gain 62 billion pounds (nearly 70 billion U.S. dollars) annually in the autonomous vehicle market by 2030, according to a report published on Thursday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and Frost & Sullivan, a business consulting firm.
The report said that Britain was in a pole position in the global race in the connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) market.
The technology could prevent 47,000 serious accidents and save 3,900 lives over the next decade, and the autonomous vehicle industry could create some 420,000 new jobs by 2030, the report said.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, said that "A transport revolution stands before us as we move to self-driving cars."
"Government and industry have already invested millions to lay the foundations, and the opportunities are dramatic -- new jobs, economic growth and improvements across society," said Hawes.
"The UK's potential is clear," he said, adding that the country should move fast in the sector.
Regarding Brexit, he said that "we need the deadlock broken with 'no deal' categorically ruled out."
"Brexit has undermined our global reputation for political stability and it continues to devour valuable time and investment," he explained, arguing that "a future relationship (with the EU must be) agreed that reflects the integrated nature of our industry and delivers frictionless trade."
Sarwant Singh, senior partner and head of mobility at Frost & Sullivan, said that "The UK already has the essential building blocks -- forward thinking legislation, advanced technology infrastructure, a highly skilled labour force, and a tech savvy customer base -- to spearhead CAV deployment over the next decade.
"However, it will require sustained and coordinated efforts by all key stakeholders, especially the government, to realize the significant annual economic benefits forecast for the UK from CAV deployment by 2030 and drive the vision of safe, convenient and accessible mobility for all," Singh said.
