With the Automated Vehicles Act creating a pathway from trials to commercial deployment, and autonomous taxi services expected on UK roads later this year, Voltempo’s Michael Boxwell explains why autonomous HGVs could be closer than many think If autonomous taxi services are set to become a reality on UK roads, could autonomous HGVs be far behind? According to a new report from the eFREIGHT Autonomous consortium, the UK now has a clear pathway to become one of the world’s leading autonomous freight markets. Led by Voltempo alongside Connected Places Catapult and autonomous vehicle design specialist Berkeley Coachworks, the study concludes that autonomous freight is moving from research and demonstration projects into early commercial deployment internationally, while the UK’s combination of legislation, logistics expertise and innovation capability creates the conditions for early deployment. “We’ve focused on understanding where autonomous freight can deliver genuine operational value for UK fleets and what conditions are needed to make deployment practical,” explains Michael Boxwell, corporate development officer at Voltempo. “What’s become clear is that this is no longer a future concept. The technology, legislation and commercial interest are all moving forward quickly.” The report identifies hub-to-hub motorway trunking and intermodal shuttle operations as the most viable starting points for autonomous freight in the UK. More importantly, it concludes that the opportunity extends far beyond the vehicles themselves, encompassing software, safety assurance, systems integration, operations and even the design of an entirely new generation of freight vehicles. A regulatory head start For all the attention given to autonomous vehicle developments in the US and China, the report identifies the UK’s regulatory framework as one of its biggest advantages. The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 provides the legal foundation for self-driving vehicles in Great Britain, establishing how autonomous systems will be authorised and where responsibility sits when the