Jim O’Sullivan told a roads conference last Wednesday that future technology promises “huge safety benefits on the strategic road network” but also pointed out that the demographic of drivers “is ageing faster than the population”.

He said women in their 50s represent the fastest growing highways demographic and young people are not learning to drive as quickly as they used to, particularly in cities.

Jim was asked what practical measures can be taken to ensure people are not left behind by a smart, connected future. He said a car system’s user interface must be intuitive and not rely on “fiddly buttons”. Jim also pointed out that older drivers are more likely to be buying new cars “so motor manufacturers have to keep them in their sights”.

He also said that autonomous systems that keep a car in its lane and prevent a vehicle from running into the one in front could do away with “at least 30% of the accidents we see today” on strategic roads. He added that only 20% of vehicles need to be connected to realise major safety benefits.

“As soon as you get to 20% driving at 60mph, everyone is doing 60mph; we do not need 70 or 80% penetration. By the time we get to 20% we will start to see measurable impacts of this technology.”

Photograph: Alastair Lloyd