Wednesday 13 July 2016 12:18 pm

Jaguar Land Rover will put driverless cars on Britain’s roads this year

Jaguar Land Rover is the latest car maker to reveal its plans for driverless cars – and it aims to put them on Britain's roads incredibly soon.

The car maker will begin introducing a fleet of driverless cars this year and by 2020, more than 100 of the vehicles will have hit Britain's roads on test routes close to its headquarters in Coventry, including motorways and built up areas.

The company also plans to use the driverless car technology it's been developing in off-road situations. That includes technology that can adapt the speed of the car based on the terrain it's on and vehicles in convoys connected to each other and sharing information.

"Our connected and automated technology could help improve traffic flow, cut congestion and reduce the potential for accidents," said head of research Tony Harper.

"We will also improve the driving experience, with drivers able to choose how much support and assistance they need. In traffic, for example, the driver could choose autonomy assist during tedious or stressful parts of the journey. But even when an enthusiastic driver is fully focussed on enjoying the thrill of the open road, the new technology we are creating will still be working in the background to help keep them safe."

The government has committed to bringing driverless cars to the roads in the near future, with funding and dedicated facilities in several areas across the country.

"Driverless car technology will revolutionise the way we travel and deliver better journeys," said transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin earlier this week as a consultation on new insurance rules for autonomous vehicles was launched to address one of the major challenges to the technology.

"Britain is leading the way but I want everyone to have the chance to have a say on how we embrace and use these technologies."

The driverless car industry is expected to be worth £900bn by 2025.