Elderly drivers have given a huge vote of confidence to emerging motoring technology, which could dramatically improve road safety around the UK within years.
Brad Ashton, from Enfield, described Nissan’s autonomous driving technology as “fantastic” and said it would help older people in rural areas.
Nissan’s evolvAD research project has been given a thumbs up by the 93-year-old grandfather after he visited the brand’s Technical Centre in Cranfield.
It comes as research shows that more than half of drivers over the age of 70 would feel disempowered if they had to stop driving.
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Brad Ashton said the self-driving Nissan was the future of motoring
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Similarly, almost two-thirds (63 per cent) noted the importance of not having to rely on others for everyday transport when doing basic tasks like going shopping or visiting their friends.
The same proportion of drivers also backed “inventions of the future” to help them remain independent, with one in five saying they would happily use self-driving technology if it helped them remain active.
Ashton was given the chance to get in a car powered by Nissan’s autonomous driving technology along rural roads in Bedfordshire.
Ashton, who has been behind the wheel since 1947, is a retired comedy scriptwriter who has prepared material for the likes of Groucho Marx, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson.
Many elderly drivers said they would be open to using self-driving technology to keep them active
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He still drives a Nissan Micra, which he uses to care for his wife Valerie and to visit a local bakery in Cockfosters. He and Valerie have been married for over 60 years.
Ashton embraced the new technology, saying it was something to be cherished. He added: “It was exciting travelling on these winding country roads with the team – I thought I would feel frightened or worried but felt safe and relaxed throughout the experience.
“Being independent and still being able to drive is really important to me – my car is vital as my local bus service is quite poor, and my wife can’t get on a bus.
“People like me that depend on a car, or that can’t drive, will benefit from this tech one day to help them stay in touch with friends and family and keep them from feeling isolated, particularly in rural areas where there are fewer transport options like taxis.”
He said self-driving technology could be improved further if they could help motorists find a parking space in the future.
Self-driving vehicles could play an instrumental role for older motorists as 21 per cent prefer in-person contact with others rather than using digital services.
Nissan has been one of the most progressive manufacturers when developing autonomous driving technology with its HumanDrive and ServCity projects in the UK.
Nissan has also helped the evolvAD project, with more than 16,000 autonomous miles being driven along UK motorways, urban roads, residential streets and country lanes.
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Brad Ashton said being active was really important to him
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David Moss, senior vice president of research and development for Nissan’s AMIEO region, said the brand was delighted to have Brad Ashton test the technology on standard UK roads.
He added: “As well as making driving safer by reducing human error, and cleaner by improving efficiency, this technology can give many more people access to mobility who may not have it today due to location, age or disability.
“Our talented UK team at Nissan Technical Centre Europe in Cranfield will continue to develop this technology, and we’re excited by the prospect of bringing AD mobility services to customers in the coming years.”
