COMMENT: Autonomous cars won’t work without smart cities

Projects are underway around the world to create autonomous cars, with Volvo, Tesla and BMW competing to launch the first one on the road. These automated vehicles have dominated the headlines, with sales estimates reaching 10 million worldwide by 2030.

It’s great to think that come 10 years’ time nobody has to worry about sitting in traffic with his foot on the clutch – but what happens when the car hits queues and doesn’t know where to redirect itself? Or takes off down a dirt track, thinking it’s a marked road? These vehicles are only as powerful as their surroundings – and if the roads aren’t smart, ‘autonomous’ will never be quite as hands-off as we might like.