Released as the Government announces a £20m funding package for new driverless cars projects, the research by KPMG found that 58% of UK automotive executives expect self-driving vehicles to be a part of consumers purchasing criteria by 2030. 

John Leech, UK head of automotive at KPMG, said: “The UK has the best regulatory framework for testing autonomous vehicles, world leading telecoms and insurers and is therefore well-positioned to capitalise on the continued development of autonomous cars. Sure, if you want to design the software for these vehicles go to Silicon Valley, but if you want to study their impact on infrastructure and other road users then the UK is a great place to be.” 

The report also found that technology will play a key role in how customer relationships are formed and managed. A total of 54% of respondents said that in the next 15 years, vehicle owners/drivers – not manufacturers or IT companies – will be guardians of their data generated from connected cars, as 38% cite trust as the main issue. 

The survey also revealed that 63% of UK automotive executives highlighted that downsizing and optimising internal combustion engine as important, and that hybrid electric vehicles would be the powertrain of choice (79%) by 2030.