Industry experts have praised the Silverstone Technology Cluster’s first special interest group (SIG) event of 2024 focusing on future mobility.

The event, at STC founding member Silverstone Park, attracted a ‘full house’ of guests keen to hear from expert speakers about latest insights into autonomous vehicles, particularly those being used in commercial applications such as trucks.

Vantec Europe’s MD Martin Kendall explained how autonomous commercial vehicles could help solve a shortage in next generation HGV drivers but – as being trialled by his company – would still require human intervention from a remote office.

He said: “This event has definitely had the right people in the room. I’ve quickly swapped cards with people who have technology that I’m interested in and, similarly, they are interested in what we are doing.

“Importantly the event has also been the right size. It means everyone is engaged and on the same page, and there’s an excitement in the room about what is coming. I hope we can take what we’ve learnt here into the next event.”

STC member Woodfines specialises in transport law which closely works with the Transport Industry and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to highlight road safety and the prevention of anti-competitive behaviour.

Partner Mike Hayward touched on the complexities of legal challenges surrounding autonomous vehicles including the ‘power of warrant’ where one company may be forced to share data to improve safety.

He enthused: “It’s been an absolutely superb event. By creating these types of events, the STC is enabling people to let down their guards so that we can share knowledge and skills and better ourselves – a working partnership.

“It means we can say ‘actually I’m not the expert in that but you are so can we pool and share that expertise’. That has to be good for businesses and industry.”

By Carl McKellar