Pedestrian reaction to driverless pods in streetscape to be tested this summer

The public acceptance of driverless pods on the streets will be tested in Greenwich, south London, this summer.

The TRL-led £8m GATEway driverless car pilot said that the pods will be "capable of operating fully autonomously and safely," have already completed 3 million kilometres of fully-automated operation, albeit in Heathrow Terminal 5, on dedicated tracks. The pods, developed by vehicle manufacturer Westfield Sportscars, vehicle software engineer Heathrow Enterprises and Oxbotica, will now be adapted to navigate the streets without the need for tracks.

Oxbotica will deploy its autonomy solution, which includes the pods' perception and trajectory planning, and a shuttle-management system, enabling smartphone booking applications. Professor Nick Reed, academy director at TRL and technical director for GATEway, said: "If the trials prove successful, we expect these iconic vehicles to become a familar sight in many cities around the world."

GATEway project will also trial autonomous valet parking and automated deliveries in a project aiming to overcome the "technical, legal and societal barriers" of introducing automated vehicles.

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